Ashe, a product of the Hillfoots and Stirling County clubs, was preparing for club training at Lincoln University in Christchurch one week ago, having been domiciled for a couple of months in New Zealand’s South Island as recipient of the John Macphail Scholarship.

Ashe, one of four changes from the starting line-up following the victory against Argentina in Cordoba last Friday, which preserved the tour’s 100% record (after wins against the USA and Canada) and the ongoing successful beginning to Vern Cotter’s tenure as Scotland head coach.

The other changes see Henry Pyrgos start instead of Grayson Hart at scrum-half; Tim Swinson preferred to his fellow Glasgow Warrior, Gray, at lock and Chris Fusaro promoted from the bench in place of Blair Cowan who has returned home. Pyrgos, among the try scorers in Cordoba last week, scored his first international try against South Africa two years ago.

Ashe, who has played for Scotland at every age-grade level and was part of the Scotland 7s squad at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth in 2011, is excited by his debut. “South Africa will be a massive physical challenge but you have to relish a chance like this,” he said.

As far as the other changes are concerned, Cotter stressed that both Gray and Hart had done well in Cordoba, but for this particular game he wished to start with Swinson and Pyrgos. On the bench, only Dougie Fife remains from last week with the prospect of Tyrone Holmes, the 28-year-old Glasgow Warriors back-row forward, becoming Scotland’s eighth debutant of the tour, while at the other end of the experience scale, British Lions prop Euan Murray would be winning his 60th cap, should he be introduced.

Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play South Africa at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 23 caps, 6 tries, 1 penalty, 33 points
14 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps, 1 try, 5 points
13 Nick De Luca (Biarritz) 42 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12 Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps
11 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) 14 caps, 1 try, 4 conversions, 4 penalties, 1 drop-goal, 28 points
9 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 11 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
8 Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
7 Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
6 Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors) 6 caps, 1 try, 5 points
5 Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 7 caps, 1 try, 5 points, CAPTAIN
4 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) 8 caps
3 Geoff Cross (London Irish) 31 caps, 1 try, 5 points
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 76 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
1 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) 35 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
Substitutes
16 Kevin Bryce (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
17 Moray Low (Exeter Chiefs) 28 caps
18 Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors) 59 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
19 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps
20 Tyrone Holmes (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
21 Grayson Hart (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps
22 Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps
23 Peter Murchie (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps

Courtesy of SARU