Scotland star Duhan van der Merwe suffered another injury setback after lasting just 18 minutes on his return for Edinburgh.

The powerful winger was making his first appearance of the season against the Lions on Friday night after recovering from a long-running ankle problem.

However, his comeback was cut short when he suffered a hand injury following an aerial contest.

Van der Merwe was forced off and replaced by Harry Paterson, raising fresh concerns ahead of Scotland's November internationals.

Edinburgh Rugby had confirmed just 24 hours earlier that the 31-year-old had fully recovered from his ankle complaint.

Head coach Sean Everitt confirmed the latest injury was unrelated to the problem that had kept him sidelined.

"Duhan got a laceration to his hand. I'm not sure what it is. I haven't been inside to chat to the medics yet," Everitt explained.

The coach suggested the injury happened while competing for a high ball.

The timing could hardly be worse for Van der Merwe, who will be desperate to feature in Scotland's upcoming Nations Championship campaign.

Gregor Townsend is due to name his squad on Monday, with a huge clash against the All Blacks looming on 7 November.

There has been no confirmation of how long Van der Merwe will be sidelined.

Five facts about Duhan van der Merwe

1. Born in South Africa

Van der Merwe was born in George, South Africa, before moving to Scotland and joining Edinburgh in 2017.

2. Dream Scotland debut

The winger made his Scotland debut against Georgia in October 2020, marking the occasion with a try.

3. Scotland record breaker

He became Scotland's all-time leading men's international try scorer, overtaking Stuart Hogg's previous record of 27.

4. British & Irish Lions star

Van der Merwe was selected for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa, starting all three Tests against the Springboks.

5. England's nightmare

He scored a stunning hat-trick against England at Murrayfield during the 2024 Six Nations, helping Scotland secure another famous Calcutta Cup victory.