Ritchie and Millar Mills ruled out injured as Scotland lose 77 caps of experience

Jamie Ritchie and Elliot Millar Mills have been ruled out of Scotland’s Nations Championship squad through injury, depriving head coach Gregor Townsend of 77 caps’ worth of forward experience ahead of three consecutive Test matches at Murrayfield.

Ritchie sustained a knee injury playing for Glasgow Warriors at the weekend, while Millar Mills picked up a leg problem with Newcastle Red Bulls. The blow is particularly sharp for Ritchie, who returned to Scotland this summer after a spell with Perpignan and had been hoping to add to his 62 caps — the last of which came during this year’s Six Nations.

Townsend has moved quickly to bring in three Edinburgh forwards as cover. Tight-head Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 20, has been in strong form and has long been considered a first cap contender. Back-rower Freddy Douglas, 21, holds three caps and is yet to lose in a Scotland shirt at senior level. D’arcy Rae, whose eight caps span a seven-year period from his debut against Ireland in February 2019 to an appearance against Fiji in the Nations Championship, returns from a calf injury at a timely moment.

Scotland face New Zealand, Australia and Japan on consecutive weekends at Murrayfield as part of the Nations Championship. Townsend has also confirmed that Sale Sharks scrum-half Gus Warr — who earned two caps on the summer tour of the Americas in 2024 — will train with the squad this week. Soon-to-be-eligible Glasgow full-back Josh McKay will also join the group as he continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.