Scots face an anxious wait on two stars

SCOTLAND’S coaches face a nervous wait over the next week with their best game-breakers, Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell, facing different challenges ahead of the next Six Nations meeting with France.

Two-time British & Irish Lion Hogg is the more immediate concern having been forced out of the action before half-time because of a damaged shoulder, head coach Gregor Townsend reporting afterwards that he was “obviously very sore” and that “he wanted to stay on, but his shoulder was not right, so we’ll see what’ll happen over the next few days.”

Glasgow Warriors captain Ryan Wilson also suffered a knee injury that forced him out of the action at the interval, further reducing Scotland’s back-row options and while Russell came through the 22-13 defeat intact, he now continues a tough schedule by yo-yoing between Edinburgh and Paris in the build-up to the match.

The 26-year-old is undergoing a new experience having moved to the French capital to join Racing 92, where he now has added responsibility following the premature retirement of the club’s other big money standoff import Patrick Lambie and is consequently anticipating no respite.

“I’ll find out on Monday what’s going on, but I’m of the mindset that I’m going back to play,” said Russell.

“It’ll change from Scotland to Racing and then when I come back here for France week I’ll be ready to go again. It’s different but it’ll be good. At Scotland, like most international teams, when the Six Nations is on they can rotate their players. Obviously, they can’t do that for our Exile guys, but I know I can potentially go seven, eight, even 10 games on the bounce and that’s just how it is.”