Scotland suffered their first injury loss of the Rugby World Cup and will be sweating on Finn Russell’s involvement in Saturday’s crunch clash with South Africa this week as they arrived in Newcastle for their final two pool games.
The buoyant mood after another strong second half brought maximum points against the USA was tempered with news yesterday morning that lock Grant Gilchrist, who suffered a groin injury in the 18th minute at Elland Road, will play no further part in the tournament.
The Edinburgh player, who missed most of the last season with a broken arm he sustained just before he was due to captain Sctoland in the Autumn Internationals, left the new base camp in the leafy Jesmond district of Newcastle yesterday afternoon. Russell, who rolled his right ankle in the win over the USA, was in a restraining boot and on crutches when the team arrived from Leeds.
A replacement for Gilchrist will be named today with assistant coach Duncan Hodge saying that it wouldn’t be discussed until a team meeting last night.
“Everyone’s gutted for Gilko,” said Hodge. “Obviously the World Cup is the pinnacle of anyone’s career but if you back up the year he’s had, and he’s worked so hard as well to get fit.
“When we started off training camp in June he was 12 months behind everyone else, so for him to get where he got to and playing as well was an achievement in itself.
“To get shot down like that…well, we all feel for him. It’s a big blow for the squad but it’s one of those things and just need to look around, England,Wales, everyone is picking up injuries, it’s just the nature of the game.”
If it’s like for like, it seems Glasgow’s Rob Harley could get the call unless channels are still open with veteran lock Jim Hamilton, who announced his retirement from international rugby after he was omitted from the final squad of 31.
“I couldn’t comment on that,” said Hodge. “We haven’t had a management meeting about it yet and I can’t say which way it’ll go.”
In the meantime, the threat to Russell’s involvement against the Springboks seems pretty real, although Hodge was quick to point out there were still checkws to be made.
“It will just be a case of, like all the knocks we’ve got, seeing how he gets on in the next couple of days and taking it day by day. As far as the boot and crutches go, everyone saw (Stuart) Hoggy three weeks ago, it’s just a precaution, fairly standard.”
If it’s bad, the Scots have a willing and able replacement in Duncan Weir, he continued.
“Obviously we don’t want to lose anyone and ten is a key role. South Africa have lost their captain, England lost one of their best players last week, Wales have lost lots of players. When you play three games in ten games like we are going to do you’d be pretty lucky not to pick up some injuries.
“Duncan did well when he came on against the USA, he’s a great ten as well so there is no undue panic from us there.”
The team are now settled in Newcastle and looking forward to playing in the venue closest to home.
“We stayed here for a training camp last autumn so we know the pitch (at the Royal Grammar School). We’ve got great facilities, everything we need to get cracking for a big two weeks.
“The whole tournament for me has just been exceptional. We arrived from Gloucester and there were Scots fans and flags everywhere, and when the bus rolled up at Elland Road on Sunday the whole bank at the main stand was full of Scots and Scottish flags. It was absolutely amazing.
“I can only guess that that is going to be intensified up here. There’s going to be more Scots and more support, that’s a good thing for us and something we’ve got to live up to.”