As Grand Slam chasing Wales named a settled side for Saturday’s visit to Edinburgh, Scotland suffered further option limiting withdrawals from their squad when Sean Maitland and Chris Harris were ruled out.
The loss of Maitland is a particular blow, the 2013 British & Irish Lions tourist, who has scored six tries in his last 11 Tests, each contributing to a win over, in turn, Australia, France, England, Italy, Fiji and Argentina, suffering a foot injury in the course of Saracens’ English Premiership defeat of Northampton at the weekend after he had scored two of their tries.
Harris, who came off the bench to get on the scoresheet for the first time in his international career during the Six Nations Championship opener against Italy, picked up a calf problem during Newcastle Falcons’ win over Worcester Warriors.
It had already been confirmed that Maitland’s fellow Lion Stuart Hogg would not return to the camp as the hope that the team management has clung to, that their star full-back would recover from the shoulder injury he suffered against Ireland last month in time to return before the end of the championship, continued to dwindle.
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For all that Byron McGuigan was recalled to the squad this week, Maitland’s absence consequently makes it look ever more likely that having replaced him during the final quarter in Paris, 21-year-old Darcy Graham, will make his Murrayfield debut and a first Six Nations start on Saturday.
Harris might also have been considered to fill that breach, having made his Test debut as a replacement winger against Samoa in the autumn of 2017, but looked to be more of a contender at centre, having made his only Test starts there against Wales and Canada last year.
Clearly there will be changes in the midfield, with Finn Russell having proved his fitness as Racing 92 beat La Rochelle at the weekend after missing the meeting with France in what is now his home city, the centre partnership looking like coming down to perming two of his three former Glasgow Warriors teammates.
The same combination as faced France could be retained with Nick Grigg alongside Sam Johnson, but having deputised for Russell at stand off in Paris, Pete Horne could also slot into the midfield and with Grigg having struggled against the French, Johnson’s versatility also offers the option of switching him to outside to accommodate Horne.
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