Injury-hit Borders rugby star Darcy Graham in contention to play against England in Six Nations at weekend

Hawick’s Graham, 27, and fly-half Finn Russell were both doubts for that 132nd Calcutta Cup match after suffering head injuries when they ran into each other 21 minutes into the Scots’ 32-18 loss to Ireland at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday, February 9, ruling them out of the remainder of that game, but both have been taking part in light-contact training with head coach Gregor Townsend’s squad in Spain this week.

Their 12-day stand-down period from full-contact rugby ends this Thursday, the day the squad fly from Spain to London and also when Townsend is scheduled to name his match-day squad for Saturday, and if they then pass the required concussion protocols, they’ll be allowed to train fully on Friday, potentially with a view to playing against head coach Steve Borthwick’s hosts on Saturday.

“They’re both progressing well through the protocols,” former Melrose draft player Horne reported on Monday.

“There are still a couple of days left until we finalise the team and things.

“There’s a fair bit of training to do. I think depending on how that goes over the next couple of days, there’s a chance that they could both play.

“They’re not in full training, but we did some light skills today and they were both involved in that.

“Last week they were working with the physios and the doctor, getting through the early stages of it, and then today they joined in for a bit of skills and things.

“We’ll see how they are off the back of that and then see how we go from there, but they’re both progressing pretty well.

“They’re in good spirits and they’ve certainly been a part of the sessions and things so far.

“They’ve still got certain things that they need to tick off. There won’t be any risks taken. I’m sure the medics are right on top of it.

“Depending on how the next couple of days go, they’ve both got a chance of playing on Saturday.”

Russell, 32, was able to walk off the Murrayfield pitch unaided on the 9th and passed a head-injury assessment at the time but Graham had to be stretchered off on a buggy in a head-brace and then taken to hospital, sparking fears that his first Six Nations since 2022 might be over after one game and a quarter.

“Darcy obviously went to the hospital but it was more precautionary,” said Horne, 35.

“He got everything checked out and, by all accounts, it all went well. He got good results.

“They’re both progressing through at the same point. They were training together earlier in the week, going through their protocols together. They’re both in the hunt.”

Edinburgh right-winger Graham’s 21 minutes’ action against the Irish was only his 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 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, on 39 and the region’s only other representative in the Scottish squad, West Linton’s Patrick Harrison, on three.

Townsend has added Bath centre Cameron Redpath, one of ex-Melrose scrum-half Bryan Redpath’s sons, and Ross McCann, formerly a winger with the Greenyards side, to their squad two games into the championship, along with Edinburgh No 9 Ali Price.

Scotland go into round three of this year’s Six Nations fourth in the table on five points, with the English third on six after a 26-25 victory at home to France on Saturday, February 8, and they’re targeting a record fifth win against their neighbours on the spin.

Townsend, 51, 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.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Horne added: “We’ve not done too well at Twickenham until recently, but that’s what’s great about it – the boys have got experience of going down there and getting results.

“I think we’ve shown we’ve got a game that can cause them a lot of problems, but they’re in a good spot at the moment. They’re off the back of a brilliant result, so they’ll be full of confidence.

“It’s a massive game for them, with us having won the last four.

“There’ll be a little bit of needle to add to what’s always a very big game with the rivalry that’s there.

“It’s a good challenge for our boys to get back on the horse and stay in the tournament.”