TOWNSEND TO NAME HIS DEPLETED SQUAD FOR AUTUMN SERIES

THERE is not a Scotland coach in history to have been spared injury headaches and the country’s relatively meagre resources will be a feature of Gregor Townsend’s first autumn Test series.

Townsend will name his squad tomorrow to face Samoa, New Zealand and Australia who beat the All Blacks yesterday, but only after lengthy discussions with the Edinburgh and Glasgow medical teams. Flanker John Hardie was added to the list of players out of action on Friday when he was banned by the Scottish Rugby Union from all rugby for an undisclosed disciplinary issue.

Captain Greig Laidlaw was ruled out of the series due to a fractured ankle suffered in his opening European Champions Cup match with Clermont Auvergne.

The favourite to take over is Glasgow skipper Ryan Wilson, but he was left in a groggy state as Leinster marched to a 34-18 Champions Cup victory at Scotstoun yesterday. The back row suffered a bad leg cut that required eight stitches and was only back for a few minutes before he clashed heads with Scotland lock Tim Swinson and was knocked out. He left the field with suspected concussion and didn’t return, but he was up and about afterwards and could recover for the November Tests.

A greater worry is at hooker where experienced duo Fraser Brown and Ross Ford are both missing.

Brown is out with a knee injury and Ford has started just one game for Edinburgh this season, against Benetton, and has been nursing a calf injury the past fortnight.

Stuart McInally has taken the No 2 jersey in the capital and is odds-on to win his tenth cap against Samoa on November 11.

Meanwhile, Samoa are close to filing for bankruptcy.

CEO Vincent Fepuleai said: ‘Our fate is dictated by our situation and we are close to insolvency.’

‘We have had debts of almost £1million and we are still making a loss. It’s a huge struggle.’