Scotland will be without first-choice second-row pair Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings for Saturday’s must-win Six Nations match against Ireland, with talismanic winger Duhan van der Merwe also missing out.
Brown and Cummings have started together in the locks twice in this campaign, in the impressive wins over England and France, but both picked up injuries in the latter.
Last Saturday’s victory over the French means Scotland go into the final round of fixtures with a shot at the championship, should they better France’s result at home to England.
Brown, 24, was seen on crutches at the end of Saturday’s game at Murrayfield after injuring his calf while Cummings, 29, has picked up a hamstring injury.
Also ruled out of the trip to Dublin is Van der Merwe, albeit he has only started one Test during this year’s Six Nations, the narrow win over Wales.
There are further injuries to fly-half Adam Hastings (shoulder), and props Elliot Millar Mills and Nathan McBeth (both ankle), who have both featured prominently during Scotland’s campaign.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Glasgow Warriors hooker Seb Stephen has returned to his club after his first international call-up.
Four players have been called up to replace the six players missing – Scarlets prop Alec Hepburn, Sale Sharks winger Arron Reed and Glasgow pair Euan Ferrie and Alex Samuel.
In the second row stocks, head coach Gregor Townsend still has plenty to pick from with Samuel adding to the likes of veterans Grant Gilchrist and Jonny Gray, as well as Max Williamson and Alex Craig.
Scotland squad for Ireland
Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry, Gregor Hiddleston, George Turner, Alec Hepburn, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson, D’Arcy Rae, Murphy Walker, Alex Craig, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Alex Samuel, Max Williamson, Josh Bayliss, Magnus Bradbury, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Freddy Douglas, Matt Fagerson, Euan Ferrie.
Backs: George Horne, Gus Warr, Ben White, Fergus Burke, Tom Jordan, Finn Russell, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu (captain), Darcy Graham, Blair Kinghorn, Arron Reed, Kyle Rowe, Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn.–BBC
