Patrick Harrison spent most of the season as Edinburgh’s fourth choice hooker and his inclusion in Gregor Townsend’s Scotland squad came with accompanying surprise.
After all, he only played 38 minutes of the capital club’s URC season, from three replacement appearances, before he was propelled into the Test squad.
Twelve months ago, Scotland had an embarrassment of riches at hooker with Stuart McInally, Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry and George Turner all vying for selection at the Rugby World Cup.
Such was depth that Fraser Brown didn’t even make the wider World Cup training squad. And then there is Johnny Matthews, Glasgow’s try-scorer extraordinaire.
But with McInally and Brown now retired, Cherry not in the national team picture and Matthews rested for this trip, an opportunity arose for 22-year-old Harrison, a product of t the Peebles club.
After biding his time patiently as Scotland successfully negotiated games against Canada and USA, the hooker took his opportunity with both hands as he made his debut from the bench in Saturday’s win over Chile.
Reflecting on the experience, Harrison said: “It means loads to me. Growing up going to the Scotland games and watching those, to make my debut was a dream come true.
“It was a very special feeling."
Harrison said it was at half-time that Townsend gave him the nod he’d be going on early in the second half.
He added: “I was just excited to get on the pitch and once I was on it was all about doing your role and getting stuck in really.
“I was probably more nervous throughout the week and when it got to gameday I wasn’t too bad.”
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Harrison was pleased with his contribution to the 52-11 win, particularly the set-piece.
“The lineouts and scrums went pretty well, so that was a pretty solid game from my point of view," he added.
Harrison’s exhaustion at full-time quickly turned to surprise as he saw dad Michael – who made the trip of more than 7,000 miles at just 48 hours’ notice – appear among a crowd of Chilean fans who had invaded the pitch.
He explained: “My mum and dad, and one of my brothers flew out on the Friday, so that was pretty special.
"Some of the fans came running on to the pitch and my dad was on the pitch behind me, which gave me a bit of a surprise. It was quite funny.
"It was really nice of them to make the trip out there and I think they enjoyed it.”
With Sharks hooker Dylan Richardson and Northampton’s Robbie Smith needing minutes in the first three weeks of the tour – they are not available this week as the match falls outside World Rugby’s summer window - and Ashman also on tour, Harrison knew he’d have to be patient to get his opportunities.
But that has given him time to find his feet in training.
He added: “It gives you an extra chance to get a few extra weeks of training under the belt and get to know the lads that I didn’t know from before. That definitely helps going into a game.”
The Harrison family - parents Richard and Ann, and brother Jack - may have returned to their farm near West Linton, but for Patrick attention now turns to the challenge of Uruguay in Montevideo on Saturday.
He will, barring injury, win a second cap as he’s one of only two hookers left in the squad following the departures of Robbie Smith and Richardson.
Despite his inexperience at this level, he knows what to expect from a side annihilated 79-5 by a second-string Argentina at the weekend.
He said: “I watched the World Cup and they ran France pretty close.
“They’re going to be a strong team, just like Chile were. Up front they’re going to be hard and they’ve probably got some sharp backs as well. It will be another good opportunity.”
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