Who is the new arrival from Scotland in the back row Liam McConnell?

McConnell has long been seen as a future star, but he has had to bide his time to get his chance in an Edinburgh back row packed with internationals.

Jimmy Ritchie’s departure to Perpignan in the summer opened the door for McConnell – he has started three of Edinburgh’s four United Rugby Championship matches this season – and he admits Ritchie has had a huge influence on his game.

“I think we’re kind of similar in a way, we’re both 6 years old,” McConnell said. “I probably learned a lot from him. And then, since he left, I tried to do the things he did while he was at the club.”

McConnell and Harry Morris, the Edinburgh hooker starting off the bench, are the two uncapped players in the round of 23 fixture.

With the match against the USA falling outside the international Test window, only Scotland-based players are available, and Townsend is looking forward to experimenting, with six players in the squad having six or fewer caps.

“There is a balance between experienced players, which I think will raise the level of performance and help those who are joining the team for the first time,” said Townsend, who recently signed a contract extension to stay in charge until the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

“In terms of personnel, we looked at players who might need more game minutes. It has been a turbulent season for some of our players due to injury.

“For someone like Scott Cummings, who went on the Lions tour, he came into the season a little late. So we think, for him, getting another game in will be really valuable.”

Even the Test squad of Scotland should have enough to take care of the USA before the big challenges of New Zealand and Argentina arrive back and forth, with a final match against Tonga at the conclusion of the fall campaign.

“I think we have to go into every game focused on winning it,” Townsend said when asked if the goal was to achieve four wins from four.

“We definitely believe the players can win against any team we play. But it’s really up to them. It’s about how you adapt during the game, if you’re ahead, if you’re behind, what works and what doesn’t work.”

“The quicker we get into that cycle, whether it’s in training, especially this weekend, to enable them to make decisions, the closer we get to playing at our best.”