Graham on track to make Calcutta Cup comeback
Darcy Graham is on course to return to the Scotland lineup to face England on Saturday week provided he comes through this week’s training with Edinburgh in satisfactory fashion.
The winger has not played since injuring a quad against Gloucesterlastmonth,andwill notbeinvolvedinhisclub’surc match at Zebre on Friday. But Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt – who has had seven Scotland squad members released back to him for the trip to Parma – is confident that Graham will be ready for the home Calcutta Cup clash.
“Darcy is on his return-toplay week,” Everitt said last night. “Medically they feel he just needs another week of full training. He should be up and ready to go next week. If selected he would be ready to play against England – if he gets through this week of training unscathed.”
Four of the seven players available to Everitt for the trip to Parma are forwards: tighthead props WP Nel and Javan Sebastian, lock Glen Young, and flanker and former Scotlandcaptainjamieritchie.the three backs are scrum-half Ali Price, stand-off Ben Healy and Harry Paterson, who made his Test debut against France and justified his coach’s faith in him with an impressive display.
“Harry will be in contention to start – it’s just whether we select him on the wing or at full-back,” Everitt continued. “He’s been impressive in his performances for Edinburgh.
I didn’t expect any less of him with the opportunity he got on Saturday, and we’re just really proud that he got that opportunity first of all through good performances for the club. He can be very proud of his debut performance.
“What’s great about him is it will give him a lot of confidence knowing that he’s got his first cap under the belt, and from there he can just go from strength to strength.
“We all know he’s got loads of potential, and the more he plays at that level, the better he’s going to get. I don’t think he is a player that’s going to get big-headed. He’s only had one Test cap and he’s only played a handful of games for Edinburgh this season. He is a humble boy.”
Of the other six who are back in the Edinburgh ranks, Healy seems sure to retain his place in Scotland’s matchday23asbackup stand-off to Finn Russell, while Nel stands a good chance of returningassecond-choice tighthead behind Zander Fagerson. Ritchie is altogether less certain of a recall after starting against Wales yet then being dropped for France, but Everitt is confident that both he and his fellow-flanker Hamish Watson – not even selected by Gregor Townsend for the wider Six Nations squad – will do all they can while in Edinburgh colours to win back their Scotland places.
“We’re fortunate at the club that we’ve got guys that fight and want to put their hand up for selection and don’t give up on opportunities at national level,” said Everitt.