Andy Robinson has 'picked 25 out of 30' World Cup players

The 14 remaining players from the 39-man provisional squad will compete for their places at the tournament in New Zealand over the summer months and in the August 6 and 20 warm-up Tests with Ireland and Italy.

The final squad must be submitted to World Cup organisers by August 22.

Robinson told Press Association Sport: "I know 25 of the squad who will be going, so there's 14 players fighting out for those five places.

"Everyone has an opportunity and that's the great thing about the training camp.

"Each day you're able to see players, how they can work, the consistency of performance, but also the desire they have to get in the squad."

First the players must impress in training, which so far has featured all the players bar those currently contracted to clubs in England and France, and has combined strength and conditioning work with skill development.

The absent players will join the training camp on Monday, July 4.

Five senior players are set to figure in the opening August Test after being withdrawn from the latter part of the domestic season by Robinson.

Alastair Kellock, who captained Scotland during the 2011 RBS 6 Nations, and his Glasgow team-mates Richie Gray and John Barclay and Edinburgh front-row duo Ross Ford and Allan Jacobsen are poised to be reintroduced to competitive rugby against Ireland on August 6.

Robinson added: "The guys who were rested after the Six Nations - Richie Gray, Al Kellock - I'll be looking for them to start in that game.

"Other players that haven't played for Scotland might get an opportunity to start.

"It will all come down to what's best for us looking at the preparations."

Barclay made his Scotland debut in the 2007 World Cup, but Rob Harley, David Denton, Ryan Grant and Jack Cuthbert - the four uncapped players in the provisional squad - are likely to earn their first caps in August if they are in contention for the squad.

Robinson has been impressed with the uncapped players.

He added: "They're doing well, they've got some cracking characters.

"David Denton and Rob Harley have worked well together, but also they've got different attributes and it's great to see the desire that they have to get in the squad.

"They are contributing throughout to the squad."

Robinson will demand results as well as strong performances against Ireland and Italy at Murrayfield.

He added: "We want to get a winning mentality first and foremost, but we also want to challenge the work we've done strength and conditioning wise in those games and challenge the technical aspects of the game.

"There's a lot to gain from both games. There's a real benefit we can get."

Scotland's next action, following a training camp in Australia, will be the opening World Cup match with Romania on September 10 in Invercargill.

Four days later Scotland play their second Pool B match against Georgia before the September 25 match with Argentina and the final group game against England, in Auckland on October 1.

Robinson, who was forwards coach when England won the 2003 World Cup, plans to take a step-by-step approach and knows his side are capable of winning the group, but also slipping up.

He added: "All the games are going to be challenging. We've got to focus on that first challenge (Romania), plus playing Georgia after that.

"The way the fixture schedule has worked out we've got two close games, then we've got a 10-day window to do some training in Wellington before we play against Argentina.

"I think the scheduling has worked out pretty well for us. We've got those first two matches to really focus on and that's what we're going to do."

Meanwhile, Robinson praised Gordon McKie, who earlier this month resigned from his role as Scottish Rugby Union chief executive, for his work at Murrayfield.

He said: "I want to thank him for the opportunity he afforded me, firstly with Edinburgh and also to become the Scotland head coach.

"He leaves the union in a really good place, because he's put the building blocks in place for Scottish rugby to go and he should be thanked for that."

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