Scotland name Argentina tour squad: Andy Robinson leaves door open for omitted Nathan Hines

SCOTLAND coach Robinson today vowed that Nathan Hines would be given all the time he needs to tend to his sick mother-in-law after giving the lock compassionate leave for the tour of Argentina.

• Nathan Hines has travelled to Australia to tend for his sick mother-in-law

Robinson this afternoon omitted Hines from his 27-man squad for next month's two-match series, with the Leinster star due to fly home to his native Australia to help his wife take care of her mother.

But the Scotland head coach left the door open for Hines to link up with his team-mates in Argentina at any time during the tour.

Robinson said: "He's going back to see his wife, who's been over in Australia nursing her sick mother.

"It's time for him to be there and if Nathan feels he can come across to Argentina at a later stage then we will leave that open for him to be able to do."

Scotland fly out to Buenos Aires on June 4, with the first Test taking place in Tucuman eight days later and the second in Mar del Plata a week after that.

Asked if there was any deadline for Hines' participation, Robinson said: "No, not at all."

Scotland remain without injured trio Thom Evans, Chris Paterson and Rory Lamont for what will be Robinson's first tour in charge, with the head coach revealing not even the latter two were near being fit.

Another notable omission was centre Ben Cairns, with Edinburgh team-mate Jim Thompson preferred.

Thompson was the one uncapped player in the squad as Robinson stuck with the 22 who secured victory in Dublin and adding five added to that number.

Scotland squad for two-match tour of Argentina on June 12 and June 19:

Backs: Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (capt, Glasgow), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Max Evans (Glasgow), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Alex Grove (Worcester), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow), Dan Parks (Glasgow), Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais), Jim Thompson (Edinburgh).

Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow), Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow), Kelly Brown (Glasgow), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Glasgow), Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow), Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh), Euan Murray (Northampton), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester).