Andrew Henderson has been named in Scotland’s squad of 23 for the RBS 6 Nations opener against France at Murrayfield on Sunday.
There had been fears the Glasgow centre would be ruled out by injury and further reduce the options of coach Frank Hadden in an area which Scotland are short of alternatives.
But he is set to take the outside centre berth with Edinburgh youngster Nick De Luca alongside him.
Jason White has also been included – Scotland are confident he will shake off a minor leg injury picked up against Harlequins on Friday – while prop Euan Murray has shrugged off a calf strain.
John Barclay, Kelly Brown, Dave Callam and Ally Hogg will fight it out for the run-on roles alongside White in the back-row with Simon Taylor ruled out by a broken thumb.
Hadden will reveal his starting XV on Wednesday morning.
Scotland squad for RBS 6 Nations match against France on Sunday, February 3:
Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Blair (Edinburgh), Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Callam (Edinburgh), Cusiter (Perpignan), De Luca (Edinburgh), Ford (Edinburgh), Hamilton (Leicester Tigers), Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), Hines (Perpignan), Hogg (Edinburgh), Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Kerr (Edinburgh), Lamont (Sale Sharks), MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), Murray (Northampton Saints), Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Paterson (Gloucester), Southwell (Edinburgh), Thomson (Glasgow Warriors), Walker (Ospreys), Webster (Edinburgh), White (Sale Sharks).
