Hamish Watson has 20 caps for Scotland

Edinburgh flanker Hamish Watson has been ruled out for the rest of the season and Scotland's summer tour of the Americas with a shoulder injury.

The problem has dogged the 26-year-old open-side for some weeks.

And, in consultation with the national coaching staff, Edinburgh decided it was best for Watson to have surgery.

Edinburgh boss Richard Cockerill said: "It's something we probably could have managed through, but he's been struggling with for a little while."

Watson has 20 caps and was ever-present during Scotland's autumn internationals and Six Nations campaign.

He will have his operation on Thursday, with Gregor Townsend's national team due to travel to face Canada, USA and Argentina in June.

It comes as a blow to Edinburgh, who host Ulster on Friday knowing victory will secure a first-ever Pro14 play-off, but Cockerill has options on the open-side flank in the form of Watson's Scotland counterpart John Hardie, as well as youngsters Luke Crosbie and Jamie Ritchie.

"We've chosen to get it done now because he'll then be fully fit for pre-season and he can have a summer off and recuperate," added Cockerill.

"He's a relatively small man in the modern game who plays big and it's a World Cup year.

"So, in consultation with Gregor Townsend, the right thing to do for the player is to get that done now, rather than play at 80% or 90%.

"He'll have a full pre-season for the first time in a long time. If you look at guys like [Stuart] McInally and [Grant] Gilchrist, this summer not going on tour and having a good rest and a good pre-season has actually been very good for them.

"Hamish has had a high workload, he plays in a very combative position and he's a very combative player who's not a massive man, so I think it's just sensible that we look after him, he has his clean-up on his shoulder and has a good break.

"He'll start with us in pre-season and be available for the start of the season and he'll be fresh and ready to go."