Lang added to Scotland squad

Harlequins back James Lang has been added to the Scotland squad for the 2018 Autumn Tests.

The 23-year-old made his first and second Scotland appearances on the summer tour earlier this year as part of the side that defeated Canada and Argentina in Edmonton and Resistencia.

Lang has been drafted in as a replacement for injured Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson, who sustained a knee injury in his club’s narrow Guinness PRO14 loss to Munster in Limerick on Saturday, and as cover for Edinburgh centre Matt Scott, who is suffering from concussion.

Graham added…

Meanwhile, the status of uncapped and in-form Edinburgh back Darcy Graham has been elevated from ‘training with’ the squad, to a full squad member.

The 21-year-old product of Hawick RFC and the Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy is an accomplished back-three player, having shone for Scotland U20 and Scotland 7s.

He joined Edinburgh in February last year but a knee injury curtailed his early involvement, however he returned to form with the abbreviated side – impressing at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – and has gone on to be a stand-out performer in his club’s 2018/19 Guinness PRO14 and Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

The Scotland medical team also confirmed that back-row trio Magnus Bradbury, David Denton and Luke Crosbie (who was training with the squad) will return to the care of their clubs’ medical teams for further care and assessment on shoulder, head and jaw injuries respectively.

2018 Autumn Tests

Gregor Townsend’s side will face their NatWest 6 Nations rivals in Cardiff on Saturday November 3 and contest the ‘Doddie Weir Cup’, as both teams honour the former Scotland and British & Irish Lions player who has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, and support his inspiring work to raise funds for MND research.

The Wales game will provide test-level build-up for the Scot’s own 2018 Autumn Tests at BT Murrayfield, with capacity crowds confirmed for the opening Test against Fiji (Saturday 10 November) and South Africa (17 November) with the Argentina crowd close behind.