Edinburgh are set to be without winger Darcy Graham and forward Jamie Ritchie for the first month or more of the new season, senior coach Sean Everitt revealed yesterday. Graham injured a hip in the defeat by Ireland that knocked Scotland out of the tournament, while Ritchie was forced off with rib damage in the first half of that match but now has a shoulder issue.
Hamish Watson and Duhan van der Merwe are being given more rest time after the tournament and will miss Saturday’s opening URC match away to the Dragons, but four other members of Scotland’s World Cup squad - stand-off Ben Healy and forwards Javan Sebastian, Sam Skinner and Luke Crosbie - are all expected to return to action for the game in Newport.
“We’ll see how they get through the planning and preparation, but if we want to select them they are available,” Everitt said of that quartet.“Darcy Graham and Jamie Ritchie are carrying injuries from the World Cup, so they won’t be available for some time. It could be four to six weeks.
“Duhan van der Merwe is going to have extra time off right now. We’re looking for Duhan to be available for the Leinster game, which is in round three.
“Scottish Rugby have [return-to-play] protocols [for some players], and Hamish is one of those players. But he’ll be returning on Monday.”
Hooker Dave Cherry, who was ruled out of the World Cup after being concussed by a fall in the team hotel, is also expected to be back soon.
Meanwhile, Glasgow have yet to decide which of their returning internationals will be in the 23 for their home game against Leinster on Sunday. “Some players are back and they are in and around the building,” Warriors assistant coach Al Dickinson said. “Some guys we are trying to hold back, because they’ve had a frustrating World Cup.”
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