Ten fresh faces for Scotland
The national squad check in to camp next week and begin the 2017/18 season against Samoa at Murrayfield on Saturday, November 11 followed by tests against New Zealand and Australia, which sold out in July.
The uncapped group features four backs and six forwards, with centres Phil Burleigh (Edinburgh), Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons), wing Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) and scrumhalf Nathan Fowles (Edinburgh) joined by front-row trio Jamie Bhatti, George Turner (both Glasgow Warriors) and Darryl Marfo (Edinburgh), Glasgow Warriors lock Scott Cummings and back-row forwards Luke Hamilton (Leicester Tigers) and Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh).
Bhatti, Burleigh, Cummings and Ritchie were involved in the senior Scotland squad in the off-season camp in St Andrews, while Turner was also an uncapped tourist in June, so the selection stands as something of a recall, however it's a first involvement for the remaining five.
Other notable inclusions sees full-back Stuart Hogg and wing Tommy Seymour return to the Scotland set-up, having missed the June tour due to British & Irish Lions selection, while centre Huw Jones and Stuart McInally come back, having missed out on the June tour through injury.
"The players selected have worked exceptionally hard at their clubs to earn inclusion in the national squad and we're looking forward to working with them throughout the autumn [November] series," said Townsend
"They will need to intensify their efforts further still to earn the opportunity and honour of play in front of capacity crowds in what are three exciting fixtures.
"We're facing two of the world's top three sides after a significant challenge from Samoa in our opening game. It will be an excellent challenge for our players."
Former Glasgow Warriors back, McGuigan (28) played for Scotland Sevens in 2012, making six tournament appearances.
He earned one Scotland A cap in 2014, scoring in the side's 16-16 draw with England Saxons at Scotstoun. He joined current club Sale Sharks in 2016 and is joint top try-scorer in this season's English Premiership.
Prop Darryl Marfo (26) has impressed at Edinburgh since arriving from Bath at the start of the season, featuring in every game so far this season. Born in London, he is eligible to play for Scotland through his mother, who is from Ayr.
Former Wales U20 player Hamilton (25) – whose father is from Stirling – joined Leicester in 2016 after two seasons in France with Agen, winning the Pro D2 in his first season.
He joined the Tigers last year and impressed in his recent starts in both of the club's European Champions Cup matches on the openside flank.
Fowles (24) joined Edinburgh in 2015, initially on a three-month loan from Sale Sharks, before committing to the club full-time ahead of the 2015/16 season, making 40 appearances so far.
Carlisle-born Harris (26) is a product of the Newcastle Falcons Academy and has played 57 times for the club since his 2014 debut, starting all but one of the club's matches in a season that sees them currently placed fourth in the English Premiership.
He is eligible for the national team through his grandmother from Edinburgh.
BREAKING | Gregor Townsend names ten uncapped players in a 36-man Scotland squad for 2017 Autumn Tests – full story to follow #AsOne pic.twitter.com/AWb6vH0QuO
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 24, 2017
