Scotland emerged from another up-and-down afternoon with a morale-boosting win, but Gregor Townsend was still left to reflect on some potentially significant losses.
While the risk of injury is a necessary evil in these World Cup warm-up matches – you can’t get miles on the clock or understanding into systems without actually playing – Scotland don’t have the luxury of infinite reserves. Certainly not of the calibre of Sam Skinner, the lock/flanker whose face told a sorry story as he was helped off by the medics with concern centred on his knee.
The Exeter man was expected to play a vital role as a crossover forward in Japan and had impressed in both defence and attack in his 65 minutes. If he does indeed miss