Mcinally to see specialist about injury ahead of Six Nations
Stuart Mcinally is awaiting an appointment with a specialist to determine the seriousness of the neck injury which threatens to rule him out of the start of the Six Nations.
Gregor Townsend will name his squad at lunchtime today, with Scotland’s first match scheduled for Twickenham against England on February 6.
Thescotlandcoachisalready without the services of firstchoice hooker Fraser Brown whoisrecoveringfromhisown neck problems and could miss the entire tournament.
Mcinallystrainedhisnecklast week while doing bench presses ahead of Edinburgh’s match against Glasgow Warriors. He is one of a number of Scotland players in the Edinburgh ranks nursing injuries.
Flanker Jamie Ritchie and winger Duhan van der Merwe missed the Glasgow game with head and knee knocks, respectively. Ben Toolis was named in the team for Scotstoun but pulled out on the morning of the match after aggravating a toe injury.
Thechancesofanyofthelatter three being fit for Edinburgh’s match against Zebre in Italy on Saturday remain “up in the air” according to Duncan Hodge, the club’s attack coach who has ruled out Mcinally.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Hodge. “Jamie’s still going through concussion protocols, Duhan has struggled a bit with his knee so hopefully he might be fit, and Ben is about the same. They’re all up in the air just now.”
The better news for Edinburgh is that Damien Hoyland is close to a return. The winger has been missing since injuring his ankle training with Scotland ahead of the autumn Tests.