Six Nations: Leslie out of Scottish side

Influential centre John Leslie has been ruled out of the Scotland side to face England at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Leslie sustained a calf injury on club duty for Northampton at the weekend and has not recovered sufficiently to be considered for the Calcutta Cup encounter.

The loss of the former Scotland captain is a major blow to hopes of a repeat of the triumph in Edinburgh two years ago which ended English hopes of a Grand Slam.

Leslie was a key figure in the Scots’ Five Nations title triumph in 1999 and, although he has been blighted by injuries since then, the New Zealand-born player was showing signs of hitting top form at club level.

Glasgow winger Jon Steel has been drafted in to coach the 22-man squad, with coach Ian McGeechan set to name his starting line-up at a Burns’ Night dinner today.