Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made a late change to his extended squad for the All Blacks Test after Elliot Millar Mills and Jamie Ritchie were ruled out through injury.
Both forwards were named in Townsend’s 37-man squad last weekend but sustained injuries on club duty. Newcastle Red Bulls prop Millar Mills left the field just four minutes into his side’s defeat to Saracens with a knee injury. Glasgow back-rower Ritchie also went off in the opening exchanges of his side’s win over the Lions with an ankle injury.
The news comes as Scotland prepare for their opening Test of the November window. Townsend’s side sit second in the Northern Hemisphere pool after two wins from three in July.
Townsend Reinforces Squad
Townsend has moved quickly to strengthen his wider group, with uncapped Edinburgh forward Ollie Blyth-Lafferty the headline call-up. The 20-year-old tighthead has enjoyed a strong start to the new season, his second at senior level, starting in five of Edinburgh’s six games in all competitions so far.
He becomes the second uncapped player in the extended squad, alongside Newcastle back-rower Ollie Leatherbarrow.
Blyth-Lafferty is not the only Edinburgh forward drafted into camp. D’Arcy Rae and Freddy Douglas have also received call-ups and return to the squad for the first time since the July tour.
Sale Sharks scrum-half Gus Warr will train with the squad this week. Josh McKay will also join the camp for rehabilitation as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Wider Squad Picture
Elsewhere, Scotland are heading into the All Blacks Test with the group largely as previously advertised. British and Irish Lions Huw Jones and Blair Kinghorn both return to the set-up after missing the July tour. Captain Sione Tuipulotu, Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe, Zander Fagerson, Gregor Brown, George Horne, Ben White and Finn Russell also make the group.
After the All Blacks clash, Scotland face Australia and Japan across the next month before finishing the November block with a finals weekend Test.