Edinburgh's Magnus Bradbury could earn Scotland recall after losing club captaincy

Magnus Bradbury had been named Edinburgh captain in August

Magnus Bradbury could yet play himself back into the Scotland squad despite being stripped of the Edinburgh captaincy for disciplinary reasons.

The 22-year-old had been named captain at the start of the season but lost that and his Scotland place after a head injury picked up on a night out.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend said: "He's not available for us just now because of injury.

"If he did play for Edinburgh next week, we would certainly look at him."

• Townsend calls up 10 uncapped players

• Bradbury stripped of Edinburgh captaincy

• Hardie suspended amid cocaine allegations

Back-row forward Bradbury earned the first of his two Scotland caps in November but has been criticised by club coach Richard Cockerill for his off-field behaviour.

"Magnus was in our squad in August and was in the tour squad, so he's a player we think highly of," said Townsend as he named his squad for autumn Tests against Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.

Townsend would not be drawn on the future of John Hardie, the Edinburgh flanker suspended from club and country duty because of alleged cocaine use.

"John and a number of players are not available and we want to focus on the players who are available," he said.

"There is an investigation going on, so I can't comment on that to prejudice that."

Asked if he was disappointed that two players from the same club had been the subject of disciplinary action ahead of the international matches, Townsend said: "The Scottish team is separate from that.

Luke Hamilton was previously called up by Wales at youth level

"We have 36 players to select from who are really in form at the right time of the season."

Townsend said club form was an important factor in naming a squad that includes 10 uncapped players, five of whom are in a Scotland squad for the first time.

The Scotland coach was "really excited" about the inclusion of Leicester Tigers back-row Luke Hamilton, a 25-year-old who had previously been called up by his native Wales at youth level but whose father is from Stirling.

"Been playing regularly for Leicester the last two seasons and really stepped up his game this season," said Townsend.

"We see him more as a six or eight, but in the last two games he's played seven for Leicester and been one of the best players on the field in Champions Cup games, so it's great that he is involved with us.

"We've been aware for the last two or three seasons that he's Scottish qualified.

"I had interest in signing him at Glasgow when he was with Agen and he ended up moving to Leicester."

Carlisle-born Chris Harris is another who makes his breakthrough into the Scottish set-up late in his career.

"Chris was very close to making the summer tour but just missed out," said Townsend of the 26-year-old Newcastle Falcons centre who has represented England Counties.

Chris Harris has come through the ranks at Newcastle Falcons

"Opportunities have come for him, mainly because of the way he's playing.

"We feel he's really improved the defensive side of his game this season.

"When he burst on to the scene for Newcastle two or three years ago, he scored a number of tries - played on the wing, played at centre - and now he's a regular 13 for a top-four club in England."

London-born 27-year-old Darryl Marfo, who qualifies for Scotland through his mother, joined Edinburgh last summer from Bath.

"A loosehead prop who has played regularly for Edinburgh and scrummed really well, shown really good work-rate around the field," said Townsend.

"It is an opportunity for him to compete with Jamie Bhatti, another uncapped player."

South Africa-born centre/wing Byron McGuigan had a two-year spell under Townsend with Glasgow Warriors, but the 28-year-old has spent the past three years in English rugby.

"He moved to Exeter, played a lot at full-back but mainly in their A team when they played in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, but I think that experience was really good for him," said Townsend.

"And, since he's been at Sale, he's grabbed his opportunity, was very close to making the summer tour and this year looks much more confident, there's more of a physical presence about him and he's been finishing really well."

The fifth player making his first appearance in a Scotland squad, and like the other four being born outside the country, is England-born Edinburgh scrum-half Nathan Fowles.