BEN Muncaster has rounded off a breakthrough season by being called into the Scotland squad for the first time.

The Edinburgh Rugby regular is part of Gregor Townsend’s 40-man squad for the summer tour to South America.

However, he did not find out the exciting news in the most conventional of manners.

In fact, he was sitting on the toilet in Cape Town!

“I was in Cape Town airport, just about to get on the flight,” explained the 20-year-old, who was on his way back home with the Edinburgh squad after their URC quarter-final defeat by the Stormers.

“I was on the toilet.

“It was a random number and I thought it was just one of the players whose number I hadn’t saved.

“It was a bit of a shock.

“It was awesome, an amazing feeling.

“The first thing I did was call my mum. I was over the moon.”

Scotland A take on Chile in Santiago on Saturday, with Muncaster named in the starting XV.

Scotland then face a three-test series against Argentina on July 2, 9 and 16.

Muncaster, of North Berwick, is joined by Aberlady’s Rory Darge in the travelling party selected by head coach Gregor Townsend.

The former Scotland international highlighted the importance of the tour to uncapped players such as Muncaster.

East Lothian Courier: Ben Muncaster (pictured) has been voted March's Scottish Building Society Player of the Month. Picture: Paul Devlin - SNS Group/SRU.Ben Muncaster (pictured) has been voted March's Scottish Building Society Player of the Month. Picture: Paul Devlin - SNS Group/SRU.

He said: “This tour, and in particular the Chile game, gives us an opportunity to look at more players – players that perhaps would not have got into the Six Nations squad that has just passed.

“Not only is it the games themselves but the time you get to work with these players. That is what excites us as coaches because we have four-and-a-half weeks together as a squad.

“We’ve got some real challenges and a very different environment and that is what brings out the best in players that are destined to go on and play at the highest level.”

Twenty-year-old Muncaster, who previously played for Scotland’s under-20s side, joined up with the Edinburgh Academy two years ago having been a member of the Leicester Tigers academy.

The flanker made his Pro14 debut for the Capital club in the first round of the Pro14 Rainbow Cup against Zebre and has enjoyed a memorable 2021/22 season.

READ MORE: Edinburgh Rugby's Ben Muncaster picks up top player award

He made 15 appearances this season in the back-row, compared to just one last term.

His form was recognised with the Breadalbane Finance Young Player of the Year at Edinburgh’s end-of-season awards.

Meanwhile, Darge’s return is a boost for Scotland after the Glasgow Warriors’ man’s impressive showings in the Six Nations.

He made his Scotland debut against Wales and then followed that up with a try against France in Edinburgh a fortnight later.

However, the 22-year-old suffered a knee injury ahead of the Warriors’ clash with Lyon at the beginning of last month.

At that time, he was ruled out for 12 weeks but he has bounced back after picking up a hat-trick of prizes at the club’s awards dinner.