Former Carlisle Rugby Club man Gary Graham laughed off his dalliance with England as “a bit of silliness” after he made his Scotland debut.

Stirling-born Graham, once of Harraby, came on for Ryan Wilson in the Scots’ Six Nations-opening 33-20 win over Italy on Saturday as the 26-year-old followed in the footsteps of his father, George, a former Scotland prop.

This time last year, Graham was an unused call-up in England’s 2018 Six Nations squad but changed his international allegiance in time for a call-up to Scotland’s squad for their Autumn Tests.

When Graham, a former Scotland Under-20 international, was called into the England squad, he was quoted as saying he would “love” to play against Scotland, and “shove it in their face”, but has since said those comments were taken out of context of “banter” with dad George in their family home.

He said: “I’ve had a few wind-ups but we all make mistakes. It was a bit of silliness from me. But I’m now where I’m supposed to be.

"They [his new Scotland team-mates] have been perfect, really good boys. Everything is geared towards winning and Scotland being a better team. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Graham admitted the experience of winning his first international cap had exceeded his expectations.

“There are some world-class boys here. It’s international rugby and, in the Six Nations, everybody is stepping up the mark,” he said after the match. “I’m still kind of pinching myself. When we came in, I got off the bus and I was choking back tears.

"I didn’t really know what was going on. I don’t know where I am or what I’m doing, so I’m just taking it as it comes.”

Graham junior added his dad had been “bawling his eyes out” with pride after the game, although the 53-year-old still remains his biggest critic.

Meanwhile Graham’s Newcastle Falcons team-mate Chris Harris, another former Carlisle player, who signed a new Falcons deal yesterday, also came off the bench for Gregor Townsend’s team at BT Murrayfield, scoring his first international try.

The Carlisle-born centre, who qualifies to play for the country through his grandmother, said: “It’s the perfect start.

“It puts us in really good stead for Ireland on Saturday. I just think we need to work on the last 10-15 minutes where we weren’t quite where we needed to be.”

Townsend’s team had led 33-3 before letting Italy back into the match at the end.

The 28-year-old told Scottish Rugby's website: “It’s frustrating. I think we started to tire a bit.

"We lost a man [Simon Berghan] to the sin-bin, which didn’t help, but I think we just need to be a bit more focused.”