Gregor Townsend said he expects Chile to pose his Scotland side the toughest challenge they have faced on their summer tour so far when the teams meet on Saturday.
Los Condores qualified for last year's Rugby World Cup, and although they were well beaten in each of their pool matches - including a 71-0 demolition by England - Townsend feels they will be better for the experience.
He said: "They play a style of rugby that will challenge our defence.
"They move the ball a lot and have a lot of individual players who can break tackles.
"Throughout the World Cup they had some of the best stats for beating defenders.
"They’re playing a Six Nations team at home in their national stadium, it’s going to be massive for them. I’d imagine they will bring a lot of physicality too."
After two comfortable wins in North America, Townsend knows the games that lie in store over the next two weekends are likely to challenge his squad more.
Chile were thrashed 71-0 by England at the World Cup (Image: PA)
He added: "If you look at where the teams have been over the last couple of years, Chile and Uruguay have been at the World Cup, and with Canada and America not making it, you would say these are the tougher games.
"We know the games ahead of us are going to be tough but we've got to make sure we improve from our last game and this new team gels as quickly as possible."
Townsend has again rotated his squad for the clash in Santiago, making 10 changes from the win over USA in Washington last Friday.
Co-captains Sione Tuipulotu and Jamie Ritchie - who returns to a leadership position having lost the outright captaincy ahead of the Six Nations - are two of the five players to retain their starting berths.
Jamie Ritchie will co-captain Scotland in Santiago (Image: SNS)
Lock Alex Craig, fullback Kyle Rowe and Kyle Steyn, who shifts from the wing to outside centre, are the others.
Props Nathan McBeth and Will Hurd will make their first starts for Scotland, as will lock Ewan Johnston.
Townsend reiterated rotation was always part of the plan throughout the tour.
"We were always planning on giving the original squad at least two games on this tour," he said.
The Scotland head coach added: "We wanted to really give the chance to experience Test rugby for those winning their first cap to allow them to grow from that experience and take it into a second game."
The switch of Glasgow Warriors captain Steyn from the wing to outside centre is a curious one given Scotland's potential depth in the midfield, with Cam Redpath, Chris Harris and Rory Hutchinson among those not on tour; Huw Jones the first-choice rested this weekend, plus Matt Currie and Stafford McDowall both named on the bench.
Nevertheless, it's an option the Scotland head coach is keen to explore.
He explained: "This tour gives us an opportunity to look at two, sometimes three players in one position and by the end of the tour we should have that to look back at, not just how they play but the training week.
"With Matt [Currie] and Huw [Jones] having played 13 and Kyle getting an opportunity now, it does add to the depth that we have in that position.
Kyle Steyn will line up at outside centre for Scotland for the first time (Image: SNS)
"We feel Kyle is a strong candidate to be in the mix for 13 in the future, so this gives us a chance to see how that would look."
Edinburgh hooker Patrick Harrison is also in line to make his Scotland debut from the bench having not featured on tour so far.
Townsend praised the Peebles RFC product, now with Edinburgh, for the patience he's shown.
Edinburgh's Patrick Harrison could make his debut off the bench (Image: SNS)
He continued: “For Patrick, he knew he’d have to wait for the South American leg, just because of the four hookers we have.
"He’s trained really well and probably used this time to really go for it in training, getting the physical contacts and putting the real work in knowing that he doesn’t have a game at the weekend, so he’ll be in great condition."
Scotland: Kyle Rowe, Jamie Dobie, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu (co-captain), Arron Reed, Ben Healy, Gus Warr; Nathan McBeth, Dylan Richardson, Will Hurd, Alex Craig, Ewan Johnson, Gregor Brown, Jamie Ritchie (co-captain), Josh Bayliss
Replacements: Patrick Harrison, Pierre Schoeman, Javan Sebastian, Max Williamson, Rory Darge, Adam Hastings, Stafford McDowall, Matt Currie
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