Head Coach Gregor Townsend has added two backs to Scotland’s summer tour squad as replacements for Sean Maitland – who is so valuable he needs two to cover the hole he leaves.
The Scotland wing who was probably hoping for a run at 15 in the navy shirt with Hoggy away on Lions duty but he injured his ankle ligaments in Saracens’ English Premiership loss to Wasps on Saturday 6 May and will remain in their care.
Teammate Duncan Taylor is one of the few Scots still in league action and is in one piece following Saracens Champions Cup win (John Barclay will captain the Scarlets in the PRO12 semi-final against Leinster this weekend).
Townsend has turned to Glasgow wing Rory Hughes and London Irish full back Greig Tonks – last seen round these parts in Edinburgh colours. With Irish set for a return to the Premiership might Blair Cowan resurface too? Gordon Reid is rumoured to be pitching up there next season and is arguably too valuable to ignore.
The Scotland touring squad convened at Oriam on Wednesday 17 May for a training session.
Hughes (24) last featured for Scotland in the autumn in the win over Georgia at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock and has 2 caps. Tonks (27) has six caps and last played for the national team in the 2015 world cup warm up against Italy.
It was also announced today that Champions Cup qualifying from the PRO12 will now be decided only on league positioning rather than a quota system for country of origin, with the Top 7 gaining entry.