Scotland winger Darcy Graham ruled out of start of Six Nations by injury

​The Hawick 26-year-old will miss the Scots’ tournament opener away to Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, February 3, and their match at home to France at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium seven days later, but head coach Gregor Townsend is hopeful he’ll be available for selection for England’s visit on Saturday, February 24.

Graham is being sidelined by a quad injury sustained during Edinburgh’s 21-20 European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup loss at home to Gloucester at the capital’s Hive Stadium on Saturday, January 13.

That latest fitness blow comes just a month after the Borderer made a comeback for his club at home to France’s Castres Olympique on Saturday, December 16, after having been left out of action by hip and knee issues since Scotland’s Rugby World Cup exit to Ireland at the start of October.

“Darcy got a quad niggle early in the game against Gloucester. He struggled a bit through the 80 minutes," said his club’s head coach, Sean Everitt.

“Unfortunately, he’s been plagued by injury since coming back from the world cup.

“We’re not sure of the extent of that. We just hope it’s not as bad as what it could be.”

Former Gala star Townsend, 50, added: “He’s obviously very disappointed.

“He played against Gloucester and was tight around the quad area, so we thought it would be worth getting a scan, hoping it would be a week-to-two-week injury at most because that’s what happened when he had the same problem during the world cup warm-up games, but it was actually more significant.

“We're hopeful he’ll be available for round three but it all just depends how it reacts when he starts rehab again.”

Graham is being temporarily replaced in Scotland’s 39-strong Six Nations squad by Great Britain sevens star Ross McCann.

That latest stint as injury cover for Graham follows the former Melrose winger, 26, being drafted in by Edinburgh for two games at the beginning of the current rugby season.

Another former Melrose-based player, ex-Southern Knights flanker Rory Darge, has been named as co-captain of the Scottish squad, replacing Jamie Ritchie, along with fly-half Finn Russell, though he might, like Graham, miss the start of the tournament due to a knee injury he picked up last month.

Darge last skippered Scotland for their 25-13 world cup warm-up victory over Italy in July and the 15-times-capped 23-year-old is looking forward to wearing that armband again, saying: “I enjoyed captaining the team last summer and immediately felt proud when Gregor told me the news.

“To co-captain your country is a tremendous honour, and to do it alongside a guy like Finn, who is respected across the game and such a talented player, will be great for me.

“Everyone in our leadership group plays a vital role and we all have strengths that will take the team forward.

“This year’s Six Nations represents a chance for us to continue to progress as a group, and everyone is looking forward to that first game against Wales.”

Townsend explained: “Appointing co-captains for this year’s Six Nations allows us to further grow and develop the leadership within the squad.

“Rory and Finn captained Scotland last summer and bring different strengths and styles of leadership to the table.

“Both are highly respected within our squad and have been part of our leadership group for some time. I’m sure they will thrive with this responsibility and lean on our other leaders to drive certain aspects of our preparation, mindset and performance.”

Ex-Hawick player Graham, currently on 39 caps, is one of two Borderers in the Scots’ squad, along with Jedburgh’s Young.

Edinburgh lock Young, 29, has three international appearances to his name to date, all in 2022.