An innocent mishap in a light training session just an hour before Scotland flew to London for this weekend’s Calcutta Cup match has key man Alex Dunbar out for potentially the rest of 2015.
The 25-year-old Glasgow Warriors centre, a crucial figure particularly in defence for Scotland, ruptured the ACL in his left knee making a routine change of direction with no contact involved.
Instead of catching the flight south with the squad, he was under the scanner at Spire Murrayfield Hospital and the results determined that he requires surgery, ruling him out for six to nine months.
It means he not only misses the rest of this current season, but potentially the Rugby World Cup in September and October later this year.
Head coach Vern Cotter was left patching up and putting a brave face on what is rapidly becoming a disastrous RBS 6 Nations campaign.
“We’re a team who don’t get things easy,” he said ruefully. “This is another example.
“But it has tightened the group up and that will be important when we play this weekend. We don’t have large numbers of international backs who are at international level, yet, but we have an able replacement who is playing well.”
Scott scored two tries for Edinburgh in Treviso last weekend, but had been below his best since returning from shoulder surgery.
“We’ll miss Alex in attack and defence,” added Cotter. “He’s one of our best line breakers and has been playing very well up to now.”
Scotland had already recalled Jim Hamilton, David Denton, Finn Russell and Dougie Fife for the trip to Twickenham, where they have not won in 32 years.