Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has some intriguing choices to make as he names his 34-strong squad at Murrayfield looking to follow up an encouraging trio of performances in the November tests.
As well as Mark Bennett, Cotter has seen his first-choice players Rob Harley, Adam Ashe and Stuart Hogg fall to injury as well as back-ups like Duncan Weir and Chris Fusaro.
He also knows that he will be without his original choice as captain, Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist, for the duration of the tournament, as a result of the broken arm that cruelly cost the Alloa RFC product his place prior to the November tests.
The deficit of back row candidates may see John Barclay make his return to the fold after some impressive appearances for the Scarlets, although the former Dollar and Glasgow back rower was injured in his club’s defeat to Leicester on Friday night.
Edinburgh fans are clamouring for Roddy Grant’s inclusion while former captain Kelly Brown, discarded from Cotter’s November squad, has also been in strong form for Saracens.
However, Blair Cowan man of the match in the last test against Tonga is in possession of the open-side berth and it’s the other two positions in the back row that are realistically up for grabs.
Meanwhile Glasgow Warriors announced that Duncan Weir will be sidelined for up to four months after undergoing surgery on his right bicep.
Weir suffered the injury to his arm during the 1872 Cup clash with Edinburgh on December 27.