Cumnock rugby star, Mark Bennett, is back in the Scotland national rugby fold, having not made an international appearance since 2018.

The former Cumnock RFC centre last appeared for the national team back in 2018 against the USA.

Bennett, 28, has made a great start to the season with Edinburgh Rugby, and has been named in Gregor Townsend's 36-man training squad for a two-day camp in Ediburgh, ahead of Scotland's 2021 Autumn Nations Series.

He has currently made 22 appearance for Scotland, including 17 starts.

The squad also features 14 uncapped players.

Speaking on the selection Head Coach Gregor Townsend said: “It has been great to see both Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors make positive starts to their URC campaigns driven by some standout performances from both young and established players.

“With four tough Test matches ahead of us in this year’s Autumn Nations Series it is important we bring players together early, connect with them as coaches and enable them to grow as a group before the campaign gets underway against Tonga at BT Murrayfield.

"We’ll then move on to the challenge of facing in-form Australia, World Champions South Africa and a very dangerous Japan team.

“We are pleased with the depth we are able to call upon to make up this training squad and it provides a genuine opportunity for players to put their hand up for selection to the full Autumn Nations Series squad.”