GLASGOW Warriors scrum-half Henry Pyrgos has been given a massive vote of confidence by Scotland coach Vern Cotter, who has chosen him to captain the national team for their first Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Ireland on Saturday.

And the 26-year-old now seems certain to be part of the final squad of 31 for next month’s tournament after it was revealed that one of his rivals for the No.9 jersey, Chris Cusiter, has been given extended paternity leave.

Pyrgos has 13 caps for Scotland, but none of them came in this year’s Six Nations Championship, when Greig Laidlaw and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne were preferred.

After the squad of 25 for the Dublin game was announced yesterday, Pyrgos explained that Cotter had told him on Monday that he would lead the side.

“He pulled me aside on Monday before naming the team and said he would like me to be captain,” the scrum-half said. “Amazing feeling. The proudest day of my life.

“It’s a huge game. I know it’s named as a warm-up game, but I know within the squad we’re playing a top team in Ireland.”

Ireland were Scotland’s last opponents in a match at Murrayfield back in March which they won 40-10 to become Six Nations champions.

Pyrgos admitted that, although he was not involved that day, he and every other member of the squad are desperate to prove that Scotland are a better team than that result would suggest.

“It’s hugely disappointing for the guys involved - they didn’t want to finish off the Six Nations like that.

"It’s something that hurt the squad and we want to put in a good performance after that.”

The squad of 25 includes four uncapped players, all of them forwards: Glasgow prop Mike Cusack and flanker Hugh Blake, and two Edinburgh players - prop Allan Dell and hooker Stuart McInally. The starting line-up will be named tomorrow.

After Ireland, Scotland will play Italy in Turin then back at Murrayfield before rounding off their warm-up games with a match in Paris against France.

Cotter will name his final squad of 31 for the World Cup before that last fixture, and it is now all but certain that Cusiter will not be part of it.

The 33-year-old former national captain on paper remains a member of the wider 47-man squad, but he has not trained as part of it since it was convened nearly two months ago.

“The Scotland national team have respected the wishes of Chris, who requested to be absent during this summer’s Rugby World Cup preparations at BT Murrayfield following the arrival of his first child,” a spokesperson for the team said.

“Chris has continued his pre-season conditioning with his club Sale Sharks and remains available for selection to the national team.”

Cusiter’s leave has been taken with the consent of Scottish Rugby, and there will be no rush to call a halt to his international career even if he does not make it to the World Cup.

But both Cusiter and Cotter are known to have agreed that his extended absence would severely compromise his chances of being included in the final 31.

Scotland squad (v Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, kick-off 5pm): Backs: Dougie Fife, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Peter Horne, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont, Henry Pyrgos, Tommy Seymour, Greig Tonks, Richie Vernon, Tim Visser, Duncan Weir. Forwards: John Barclay, Hugh Blake, Fraser Brown, Blair Cowan, Mike Cusack, David Denton, Allan Dell, Grant Gilchrist, Ryan Grant, Jim Hamilton, Rob Harley, Stuart McInally, Gordon Reid, Jon Welsh.