Hamish Watson to miss at least first half of Scotland's Six Nations campaign
Hamish Watson suffered a fracture to his hand.
©PA
Scotland will miss the services of Edinburgh flanker Hamish Watson for at least the first half of the upcoming Six Nations tournament following a fracture to his hand.
The 27-year-old suffered the blow during Edinburgh's Heineken Champions Cup victory over Montpellier last week and was released from the Scotland's Six Nations squad by head coach Gregor Townsend.
In the absence of Watson, John Hardie and Gary Graham are other options available for Townsend while Jamie Ritchie can play at both open and blindside. Sam Johnson, Jonny Gray and Ryan Wilson are also nursing injuries and are being monitored.
“To lose someone like Hamish is disappointing,” Townsend said. “But it is an opportunity for someone else.”
Scotland have the upper hand in their opening game against Italy after winning 21 out of the 29 games played between them previously but Townsend wants to guard against complacency.
“The expectations in Scotland will be high, but we realise that it is a very tough game to start with.
“We have lost a number of times to Italy and we should have lost to them last year. They are a very tough team to play against, and Scotland teams in the past have found it very difficult.
“We are in it to win it [the Six Nations], and I imagine that is what every team is focused on.
“Finding that consistency of good to very good performances is what is required from us to be tough to beat, and to win tournaments.”
