Injury ends Jonny Gray’s Six Nations campaign

Scotland’s Six Nations campaign has suffered another major blow with the loss of experienced lock Jonny Gray for the rest of the tournament due to a hand injury. The 57-times capped 25-year-old picked up the injury in the 13-6 defeat by England at BT Murrayfield on Saturday and will return to his club, Glasgow Warrios, for “ongoing care and assessment”

Second row Gray, who has partnered Warriors’ clubmate Scott Cummings in the engine room for the opening defeats by Ireland and England, will join national skipper Stuart Hogg at Exeter Chiefs next season after eight years with Glasgow.

Scotland visit Italy on 22 February before a home Test against France on 8 March and then finishing away to Wales on 14 March.

Gray’s injury represents the loss of another experienced campaigner following the well-documented exile from the national squad of 49-times capped Racing 92 stand-off Finn Russell.

A Scotland team spokesman said: “He [Gray] will return to

his club [Glasgow] for ongoing care and assessment.”

Edinburgh’s Ben Toolis has been covering the position from the bench in the past two games, with 40-cap man and former captain Grant Gilchrist out of the matchday squad.

Gray’s older brother Richie, who has 65 Test caps for Scotland and one for the British and Irish Lions, declined to be involved in last year’s Rugby World Cup but, according to national head coach Gregor Townsend, has indicated that he would be available for selection again.

The 30-year-old, who won the French title with Toulouse last season, has been injured but last month announced he would be returning to home city club Glasgow next season.