The ankle injury suffered on club duty before he belatedly joined the rest of the squad forced flanker Simon Holmes out of Scotland's side to meet New South Wales Country today, but he will remain on tour.
Coach Jim Telfer made it clear yesterday that, despite intense competition for back-row places, the London Scottish flanker remains a key member of the squad and very much in contention for a place against Australia in the First Test on June 13.
''His ankle is taking longer to respond than we thought,'' Telfer explained, before pointing out that for all the quality of the contenders for the back row, Holmes has special strengths.
''When he does play his style is invaluable. We know the replacements back home are not as strong so it is better to keep him here as long as we have six other fit back row players.''
Kelso captain Adam Roxburgh was immediately promoted from the bench to slot in at openside for today's game.
Stuart Reid also comes into the 22, but Telfer underlined why he was so anxious to keep Holmes.
''It would be great if he was available for the Tests,'' he said. ''He brings a dimension to the side that no-one else has.
He's what I would call a sniffer - a different type of openside. Budge Pountney has that ability, but he is injured.
''Adam Roxburgh didn't play particularly well in Fiji - he was around the action but not in it. Our cover is better for the other back-row positions.
Rob Wainwright and Cameron Mather have played openside, but not very well. That's why I wanted Simon here.''
Holmes initially suffered the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined on tour, in the first of London Scottish's play-off matches against Bristol, aggravating the problem in the return leg six days later, which postponed his arrival on tour.
The tour management were unaware of the injury he had suffered in the first of those matches, but attached no blame to the player for either taking part in the second game or for failing to let them know of his condition.
''He's an honest bloke and he thought he was going to be OK,'' said Telfer, who suggested that although he expects Holmes to be fully fit by the end of the week, he is unlikely to be considered for Saturday's meeting with New South Wales.
For his own part, Holmes, though unable to participate fully in training so far, believed he could have played.
''But the medics said they wanted to leave it for an extra few days rather than risk damaging it for weeks,'' he said.
''It is frustrating and I'm disappointed not to play, but I'm just about there.''
Telfer was forced into a second change to the originally selected side for today's match when wing Craig Joiner was forced out with a calf injury.
His place in the side is taken by Shaun Longstaff.
An added worry for the selectors is that Stirling County centre Ian Jardine, already suffering from tendinitis after twisting his knee during the meeting with Fiji, was confined to bed for part of yesterday with sinusitis, although he is expected to be fully fit by the weekend.
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