Borderer Darcy Graham’s first Six Nations for three years not over yet, according to club head coach Sean Everitt
Borders rugby star Darcy Graham’s first Six Nations for three years isn’t over yet, according to Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt.
A clash of heads with team-mate Finn Russell during Scotland’s 32-18 loss to Ireland at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday has ruled the right-winger out of full training until next Friday, a day ahead of their third match of the tournament, away to England at London’s Twickenham Stadium on the 22nd, with kick-off at 4.45pm.
Though Graham isn’t entirely ruled out of that game, it looks likelier, because of the one-day turnaround that would be required, that he’ll make a comeback for head coach Gregor Townsend’s national team at home to Wales a week later at the same time.
That visit from the Welsh, now with Matt Sherratt in interim charge following prior head coach Warren Gatland’s resignation on Tuesday, is Scotland’s second-last of the tournament, their finale being away to France on Saturday, March 15, with kick-off at 8pm.
The Hawick 27-year-old went off injured 21 minutes into the Scots’ 11th loss on the bounce to the Irish on a stretcher on a buggy wearing a head-brace en route to hospital, with Jamie Dobie replacing him.
That was only Graham’s second Six Nations appearance since Scotland’s 26-5 loss to Ireland in Dublin in March 2022, having missed 2023 and 2024’s championships all together due to injuries.
“He’s just going to follow his return-to-play concussion protocols as per normal and those are taken in stages,” reported Everitt, 55.
“I don’t think Darcy would be able to return to the field within 12 days but, fortunately for us, the scans came back clear, and for us and for Scotland, it’s about making sure he gets through his head-injury assessment protocols.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of care that has to take place on a rugby field.
“There’s a lot of pain in his jaw. It’s never great to see a player lying on his back, regardless of where he’s from, on the field for six and a half minutes, so it was scary thoughts there, but well done to the medics. They did their job really well and he’s up and about.”
Graham, at United Rugby Championship outfit Edinburgh since 2017, issued a statement thanking fans for their support following his release from hospital, saying: “I would just like to thank everyone for all their well wishes and lovely messages after the game on Sunday. It means so much and the support is overwhelming.
“It’s not the way anyone wants to leave the pitch but I’m very grateful for the quick care and attention I received from a world-class medical team.”
Graham was one of two fellow Borderers in Townsend’s starting XV, along with ex-Hawick and Gala loosehead prop Rory Sutherland.
Graham is now on 44 caps, with Sutherland, 32, on 39 and the region’s only other representative in the Scottish squad, West Linton’s Patrick Harrison, on three.
Scotland go into round three of this year’s Six Nations fourth in the table on five points, their next opponents, head coach Steve Borthwick’s England, being third on six after a 26-25 victory at home to France on Saturday.
Looking ahead to that trip south of Hadrian’s Wall in pursuit of a record fifth win against the English on the spin, ex-Gala star Townsend, 51, said: “It's a very tough place to play but we do have a very good record recently.
“They’ve just come off the back of winning a great game against France.
“We know how difficult each game in the Six Nations is. We’ve got to obviously play much better next time to have a chance of bouncing back with a victory.”
Townsend has won five of his seven games against England, all in the Six Nations, since taking over as Scottish head coach eight years ago – in 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, drawing 38-all away in 2019 and losing 13-6 at home in 2020.
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