Scotland’s attacking options were further reduced yesterday when it was revealed that centre Huw Jones is out of next week’s meeting with France and unlikely to take any further part in the Six Nations Championship.

The Glasgow Warriors centre suffered knee ligament damage during Saturday’s defeat to Ireland and he has now undergone a scan that has indicated he is unlikely to recover fitness again before the end of the competition.

He joins Stuart Hogg in returning to Scotstoun to begin his recovery and rehab, the two-time British & Irish Lions full-back having suffered shoulder ligament damage during that Ireland match which looks to have threatened not only his involvement in the rest of the Six Nations, but also his prospects of making another appearance for Glasgow before he leaves them at the end of the season to join English Premiership club Exeter Chiefs.

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Just as Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn has looked ever more capable of standing in for Hogg at the highest level, Pete Horne’s return to the squad last weekend, Sam Johnson’s capacity to play both centre positions and the form of their fellow Glasgow Warrior Nick Grigg, means there is no cause for immediate concern in midfield.

However, the withdrawal from the Scotland squad of first choice players inevitably provides openings for others and having been called into the national camp this season, Edinburgh centre Chris Dean is another whose international prospects have improved as a result of Jones’ injury.

He was named yesterday in a powerful looking Edinburgh team that will meet the Dragons in the Pro14 tonight and Richard Cockerill, Edinburgh’s head coach, reckons the 24-year-old is ready for the Test arena.

“He’s certainly played pretty well for us this year. If there was an opportunity for Chris to step up I think he will acquit himself very well,” he said.

“Chris has developed very well in the last two seasons and if he got an opportunity he would be capable of taking it but there are a lot of good backs around at the moment and a lot of competition for those spots. Hopefully he’ll have another good game tomorrow and be involved (in Paris).”

READ MORE: Scotland's Stuart Hogg will miss Six Nations with injury

Scotland’s growing back-row problems are also providing a chance for players that they might not have anticipated, with Cockerill of the view that on his return tonight after a four month lay-off, Magnus Bradbury could instantly put himself in the frame.

“If Maggie has a strong game at the weekend he will give himself an opportunity to go to Paris as the weekend for sure because obviously there are some injury issues and combinations that the national team have to deal with and Maggie would have been a certain starter if he had stayed fit, through the autumn and the Six Nations,” he reckoned.

“I think if Maggie has some good time under his belt and looks sharp, which I think he will, he’s trained really, really well, I think there is every chance that Gregor may come calling for him.”