“IT scares me,” Stuart Hogg frankly admits when he thinks back to the time he came close to abandoning Glasgow and souring his relationship with Gregor Townsend.

It all came at a dark time in his career – he had been sent off in Wales, the first Scottish back to face the ignominious walk off the field, and with Ulster trying to prise him way from his roots was wobbling in terms of form as well.

Now, for the first time, he is also coming to understand the whole episode from Townsend’s point of view and says he is grateful he was given a second chance.

“I am never one for reading newspaper articles but I was sent the ones on what Gregor was saying the other day. It was pretty special. I have my view but I had never really heard Gregor’s view on it – everything he said was spot on,” Hogg said.

“In terms of the relationship, we probably wouldn’t have one if I had moved away. For me, I would probably have burned all the bridges with Gregor I possibly could. Would I be sitting here? Probably not.

“It is these experiences in life that make you re-evaluate and I believe I am in the best place I possibly can be. I am sitting here in front of you as Scotland captain for tomorrow, I am buzzing for it, can’t wait.

“It scares me to think about it. For a start, if I had been at Ulster, we would have been beaten in the semi-final by Glasgow and I would have had to watch Glasgow lift the trophy on our home ground.

“Everybody makes mistakes, I was young. I was getting pushed to go there. I am glad I didn’t. We had a cracking season with Glasgow the year after, won the league and I have very much enjoyed my rugby since then.

“Every opportunity I get in a Glasgow jersey and a Scotland jersey, I make the most of it and have really, really enjoyed the last few years of my career. There have been some challenges in terms of injury but that is another challenge and another opportunity to get better.”

Even so, he admits that when Townsend rang him before the tour to say he was thinking of making him captain for this game, the stunned silence at Hogg’s end went on so long, Townsend thought the line had gone down.

“I’ve been in the leaders’ group for many years now, it is a great opportunity for me to show myself as a leader. I’m really excited. I’m nervous, but I’m really excited for it,” Hogg added.

“It’s something I’ve tried to add to my game. I back myself when I’m fit. Leadership is something that I’ve tried to develop. I’ve had great experience under Greig [Laidlaw], under [John] Barclay, and I’m learning from these boys all the time.”

He has also gone to Al Kellock, who he rates as the best captain he has ever played under, to get more advice on how to do the job and hopes it does not turn out to be a one-off – though tour captain Stuart McInally is expected back to lead the team in Argentina next week.

“It’s definitely right up there [as a career highlight],” the full-back added further, comparing it to his first cap and his selections for the British & Irish Lions.

“I want to be playing every single game that I’m fit, and to have this added responsibility is really keeping me on my toes and has made me adapt my week.

“At times I’d be the kind of class clown, jumping around and trying to scare everybody, but this week I’ve taken a little step back from that and tried to be as sensible as I possibly can be.

“I’ve really been concentrating on this game. This week has just taken a little step up. I’m really, really excited for this game, and to have the opportunity to lead the boys out is really, really special and something that I’ll hopefully never forget.”

To add to his responsibilities in such a new role – he has not captained any side since Under 18 level– he is leading a radical, new team with seven players making their first Test starts, including debutants George Horne and Matt Fagerson.

With such an inexperienced team, there is going to be a lot of pressure on the leaders to make sure they cope with the opposition and the hot, humid weather conditions, a challenge the captain says he relishes.

“It is a long time since I have been captain but in terms of it being something else I can add to my game, it is perfect,” the 25-year-old said.

“I would not be captain if Gregor [Townsend] did not believe in me so I am very much looking forward to that and repaying the faith he showed in me,” Hogg added.

Scotland: S Hogg (C)(Glasgow Warriors); B Kinghorn (Edinburgh), N Grigg (Glasgow Warriors), P Horne (Glasgow Warriors), B McGuigan (Sale Sharks); A Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), G Horne (Glasgow Warriors); J Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), G Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Z Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), L Carmichael (Edinburgh), B Toolis (Edinburgh), T Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), L Hamilton (unattached), M Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors). Replacements: F Brown (Glasgow Warriors), A Dell (Edinburgh), M McCallum (Edinburgh), G Gilchrist (Edinburgh), D Denton (Leicester Tigers), S Hidalgo-Clyne (Scarlets), M Bennett (Edinburgh), D Fife (Edinburgh).

USA: W Hooley (Bedford Blues; B Scully (C) (Cardiff Blues), B Campbell (Glendale Raptors), P Lasike (Utah Warriors), M Brache (Western Force); A MacGinty (Sale Sharks), S Davies (Glendale Raptors); E Fry (Vannes), J Taufete’e (Worcester Warriors), P Mullen (Houston SaberCats), S Manoa (Toulon), N Civetta (Newcastle Falcons), J Quill (Glendale Raptors), H Germishuys (Austin Elite), C Dolan (San Diego Legion). Replacements: D Fawsitt (Glendale Raptors), T Lamositele (Saracens), C Baumann (Leicester Tigers), G Peterson (Glasgow Warriors), B Landry (Glendale Raptors), N Augspurger (San Diego Legion), W Magie (Glendale Raptors), D Audsley (San Diego Legion).

Referee: W Barnes (England)