Rugby World Cup: Scot Stuart Hogg targets start against Japan

Glasgow Warriors and Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg hopes to play in his first World Cup

Stuart Hogg is "hopeful" of recovering from injury in time to feature for Scotland in their opening World Cup match against Japan.

The Glasgow Warriors full-back has not played since damaging an ankle while winning his 33rd cap in Scotland's win over Italy at Murrayfield last month.

The 23-year-old told BBC Scotland: "We're getting there. I'm hopeful but we're just taking it day by day.

"I want to play in every single game so if I'm selected, then great."

Hogg, who has been wearing a protective boot as part of his rehabilitation, says that if he is not chosen for Wednesday's game in Gloucester then he will "just continue to work hard and hopefully get the starting jersey next time".

"You want to play in a World Cup and this would be my first," he said.

"As you can probably tell, I'm really excited."

Meanwhile, Hogg's Warriors team-mate Josh Strauss, who was born in South Africa, now qualifies to play for Scotland having spent three years in the country.

Former Scotland captain Al Kellock joked on BBC Radio 5Live that Strauss "took a good six months" to understand his accent.

He said: "I've had a lot of conversations with Josh about it and I know how much he thinks about it.

"I've also told him that now that he's Scottish he's probably going to get a little bit better looking and probably get a little bit taller as well and be a better player."

Asked if representing Scotland can mean as much to a player qualifying on the residency rule, Kellock replied: "It definitely can but it just comes from a different place.

"There are different motivating factors in every member of your team.

"The world's changed. People are moving around so much that it's a reality that people are going to pull on a jersey that doesn't necessarily represent where they grow up but he will be as motivated as anyone else on that park."