Scotland winger Darcy Graham will miss Sunday’s autumn Test against South Africa after suffering a concussion during his impressive four-try performance against Fiji on Saturday.
Graham, 27, made a remarkable return to the Scotland team after a 12-month absence due to injuries that kept him out of the Six Nations and summer tour. His outstanding display at Murrayfield saw him score half of Scotland’s eight tries in the 57-17 victory, elevating him to second in Scotland’s men’s all-time top try-scorers list, just one behind teammate Duhan van der Merwe.
However, Graham’s triumph was cut short when he was taken off after 65 minutes. Head coach Gregor Townsend confirmed that Graham failed head injury assessment (HIA) protocols and will undergo a mandatory recovery period.
“He’ll do nothing for the next three days, then he starts the graduated return to play,” Townsend said. “If everything goes well and he’s feeling good, he’ll be available for Portugal [on 16 November].”
Scotland’s injury concerns were alleviated slightly with news that Kyle Rowe’s hamstring injury, sustained against Fiji, is not as severe as initially feared. “He’s a chance for this week,” Townsend stated. “We all felt after the game that could be him missing the next few games, but he’s recovering well.”
The squad will also receive a boost from the return of Toulouse full-back Blair Kinghorn, Sale Sharks winger Arron Reed, and vice-captain Finn Russell.
Scotland faces South Africa on Sunday, and Townsend’s team selection will be influenced by these injury updates.
