Double blow for Scotland

Scotland have been dealt a double blow to their preparations for the World Cup in Australia later this year.

Key figures Kenny Logan and Tom Smith have both been ruled out of the second warm-up game against Wales in Cardiff and are likely to miss the Ireland game a week on Saturday.

Veteran Wasps player Logan will see a specialist later this week after being substituted with a head and neck injury in the opening seconds of Scotland’s win over Italy last weekend.

Experienced Northampton prop Smith, who had just returned to the side after missing Scotland’s tour of South Africa, has a broken finger and will be out for at least three weeks.

However, Scotland team doctor James Robson admits that the recovery time of either player cannot be set exactly.

He said: “If you look carefully at Kenny’s injury on video you will see that he almost sustains a whiplash-type injury, one that you might imagine would happen in a car crash when you are shunted from the back.

“He was clearly out of it for two or three seconds and although he got up and answered my questions, I felt he couldn’t carry on.

“But within 10 minutes, he was in the stand eating a Mars bar and enjoying himself!

“But looking at the mechanism of the injury, there is perhaps the possibility of some damage to his head or neck so we’ve arranged for a specialist’s opinion this week.

“Tom has a small break at the base of his thumb and I’m taking him too get an orthopaedic opinion.

“He sustained a training injury last week and took another bang to the same area on Saturday so we don’t know when he actually cracked it.

“We have to have the injury attended to as soon as possible but he won’t be available for a period of time.

“I can’t tell you ho long that will be but I estimate it would be a minimum of three weeks.”

Saracens player Robert Russell will also miss out on the trip to Cardiff, after lasting just 35 minutes of the game against the Italians.

Russell’s injury is less concerning than Logan’s or Smith’s and he should be back for the game on Saturday week.

Dr Robson explained: “Had we been in a tour situation we probably wouldn’t have declared him unfit because we could have had him ready for Saturday.

“He’s made a remarkable recovery over the weekend, largely because he attended to his own needs and saw a physiotherapist.

“He’s been working with the team but it would be silly with three hookers in the party not to take the opportunity to use this time to let him recover.”