Scotland lose three Glasgow starters to injury ahead of Fiji test at Murrayfield

Scotland head into Saturday’s Nations Championship test against Fiji at Murrayfield without three of their Glasgow Warriors regulars, after Rory Darge, Kyle Steyn and Alex Samuel were all ruled out through injury.

Darge and Steyn both started last weekend’s 42-28 defeat to South Africa in Pretoria but will miss round three. Darge was stood down after failing a head injury assessment at half-time in Pretoria, while Steyn is sidelined with a foot problem. It is the first Scotland match either player has missed this year, having started every game throughout the Guinness Six Nations and the opening two rounds of the Nations Championship.

Samuel’s absence is the most serious of the three. The 23-year-old was originally named in the matchday 23 for the South Africa game but withdrew on the morning of the match with a knee injury, replaced on the bench by club teammate Max Williamson. Head coach Gregor Townsend confirmed post-match that the four-cap prop requires surgery and will be sidelined for several weeks.

The setbacks compound an already difficult injury picture for Townsend. Prop Elliot Millar Mills had already been lost to a calf injury sustained during Scotland’s round-one win over Argentina, and so far no additional players have been called up as cover.

Despite facing a Fiji side that has already been beaten by both Wales and England in this Nations Championship cycle, Scotland will be wary of complacency. Their 29-14 defeat to the Pacific Islanders at the same venue 12 months ago remains a pointed reminder of the threat Fiji can pose.