Scotland coach on 'world-class' star's return and South Africa-based player's surprise availability

Graham has not played for Scotland since their final pool match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup against Ireland in Paris and has not featured in either of the last two Six Nations Championships due to a succession of injuries.

He has returned to full fitness this season, starting the first five games of the URC for Edinburgh, and Scotland defence coach Steve Tandy believes he is close to finding the form that has made him such a potent threat at Test level.

“It’s awesome to see him back,” said Tandy. “Seeing him come in all bubbly and smiling is great and I think he’s starting to hit his straps at Edinburgh, I think the last game he played [v Cardiff], he was outstanding.”

Graham, 27, is joint third on the list of Scotland’s all-time top try-scorers and will be looking to add to his total of 24. Only Duhan van der Merwe (28) and Stuart Hogg (27) have scored more than him but you have to go back to September 2023 for Graham's last international tries, when he scored four against Romania at the World Cup.

The Hawick man has battled a succession of injuries over the last two years as issues with his knee, hip, quad and groin have conspired to rob him of a number of cap chances but he is set to return against Fiji on Saturday.

“As a coach, you get really frustrated for the player,” said Tandy. “Obviously as coaches we definitely miss a world class winger like Darcy but then you feel for them as well. But on the flip side it provides opportunity and that’s where Kyle Steyn has come in and done a great job, Kyle Rowe too, and Arron Reed on tour.

“Someone missing out creates an opportunity for someone else and hopefully that helps with the squad depth that we want, but you always miss a world class winger like Darcy, you miss his personality as well. He’s class.”

With Glasgow captain Steyn out injured and Sale winger Reed unavailable for the Fiji game, Graham is likely to be given the opportunity to start this weekend. The match takes place outside the designated Test window so Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is not able to select English or French-based players. However, he has struck a deal with the South Africa-based Sharks to release hooker Dylan Richardson for the game.

“Yeah, Dylan is available,” said Tandy. “Gregor has spoken to Sharks and all their boys are with their international sides so he is available this weekend for us, so that's good for us.”

Tandy reported a clean bill of health among the squad with the exception of Glasgow Warriors prop Nathan McBeth who picked up a knee injury against the Sharks earlier this month. McBeth won’t be available for the Fiji game but Tandy is hopeful he could return later in the series.

The defence coach expects Fiji to kick more than they have traditionally done but is wary of the islanders’ renowned handling skills.

“I think they’ve still got the threat of offloads and picks through the middle,” said Tandy. “I think they’ve definitely added more of a kicking style to what they’re doing now, so they’ve got threats across the board.

“Something magical can happen as well. There might be something defensively where you look at it and you go, ‘well actually everyone’s in the slot, everyone’s doing their job’, but some amazing offload will come.”