However, a hip injury he sustained last year led to a four month lay-off and the 6ft 4in back-row, who has made the switch from Edinburgh to the Falcons, was left out of the summer tour to Argentina.

And he insists head coach Andy Robinson was right to look elsewhere while he gets back to form and fitness.

“I did not expect to go on the Argentina tour. You can’t expect to go straight back in to the Scotland set-up after being out for as long as I was. I have to earn my place again,” said Hogg, who has signed a two-year deal to link-up with former Scotland star Alan Tait’s side.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of going down to Newcastle – a different bunch of boys, different set-up, different grounds and clubs, and opponents in a competition that is new.

“But I still massively want to play for Scotland. I spoke to Tait about that. He is also fully supportive of my Scotland career and my hope is that the new fresh challenge will get me back into the Scotland team.”