Scotland could face two significant blows but Gregor Townsend at least has options at disposal

Flying Scotland winger Darcy Graham grabbed the headlines against Fiji with his four-try blitz at Murrayfield, but there as some deflation later on Saturday when it was revealed he failed an initial head injury assessment (HIA) and had to come off during the second half.

Scotland fans have been robbed too often of Graham due to injury. He has scored 28 tries in 40 appearances for the national team - a phenomenal haul for any player in the sport - but it really should be more. Knee, groin and quadricep issues have sidelined him for months on end. There can be little doubt the 27-year-old from Hawick would be Scotland’s all-time try scorer had he not suffered those setbacks. As it is, he is one behind fellow Edinburgh man Duhan van der Merwe.

It remains to be seen whether Graham will make Scotland’s next match, against world champions South Africa on Sunday. “I think he failed HIA 1, so we’ll now have to wait and see [the result of] HIA 2,” said head coach Gregor Townsend after the 57-17 win over Fiji. “If he passes that then he’ll have an HIA 3 in two days’ time. So I think the initial HIA was failed, that's why he didn't come back on the field.”

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend will be mulling over his options ahead of the South Africa match. | SNS Group / SRU

Clarity on Graham’s situation should come within the next 24 hours. If he is unavailable for the clash with the Boks at Murrayfield - Scotland’s second of four Autumn Nations Series assignments - then his absence will be exacerbated further by a hamstring injury to Kyle Rowe, who left the pitch in the first half against the Fijians minutes after scoring a nice try.

Rowe is a man in form right now for his club Glasgow Warriors and has looked the part when called upon for Scotland. His versatility is so important for Scotland, too. Comfortable on the wing and at full-back, he would be the likely deputy for Graham should the Edinburgh man be ruled out.

Townsend will not want the double blow of losing two of his tryscorers from the weekend, but others come back into the group. Blair Kinghorn is understood to have come through Toulouse’s 12-8 Top 14 defeat by Bayonne on Sunday night unscathed, so he is set to come straight in at 15. He is one of the form full-backs in world rugby right now. Bath stand-off Finn Russell is available, as are fellow Gallagher Premiership men Will Hurd and Elliot Millar Mills (props), Josh Bayliss (flanker), Rory Hutchinson (centre) and Arron Reed (winger). Ben White (scrum-half) and Ewan Johnson (lock) are released from French sides Toulon and Oyonnax respectively.

Should the worst happen and Graham and Rowe be sidelined, Townsend will need to reassess his options - but can at least draw upon the form and versatility of his squad despite the absence of adaptable Glasgow Warriors captain Kyle Steyn, ruled out before the Autumn Nations Series due to his own injury.

Scotland trio Huw Jones, Darcy Graham and Adam Hastings after the win over Fiji. | SNS Group / SRU

Kinghorn could move over to the wing, with either Tom Jordan - an impressive debutant against Fiji - or Adam Hastings able to slot in at full-back despite more often than not starring for Glasgow at 10. Reed, a speedy winger with two caps, is a more natural yet inexperienced like-for-like replacement.

Huw Jones has struck up an excellent centre partnership with new Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu both with country and club Glasgow, but he could also play at 15. Stafford McDowall - another from the Warriors conveyer belt - can cover at 13 if required.

Scotland’s squad depth is there these days to give some compensation for injuries. Townsend can take comfort of such luxury even with the sternest of Springbok challenges awaiting him.