Is this what they mean by a collapsed scrum?

WhILe even the best rugby sides can experience a mid-season trough, few suffer a major dip before the first match of the campaign kicks off.

For two of scotland’s top clubs, however, that sinking feeling more to do with growing concerns that the pitch they share could disappear down an old mine shaft.

engineers have launched urgent tests at old Anniesland after safety fears forced scottish Premiership Division one club Glasgow hawks and scottish National League Division Two side Glasgow high Kelvinside to abandon the ground. Alarm bells sounded earlier this month when a section of the sportsfield – owned by the adjacent high school of Glasgow’s Former Pupils club – sank by several inches.

The UK Coal Authority(UKCA), whose staff have been at the Glasgow ground all week, confirmed that they have discovered that a mine shaft once existed near the pitches. Initial drilling has indicated the presence of a larger sink-hole beneath the north side of the main playing area. The land in Glasgow’s Jordanhill area has a long history of coal and iron ore mining.

The hawks are now in discussions with neighbouring clubs over the possible temporary use of their facilities for the start of the new season in september.

hawks director Kenny hamilton said: ‘The affected section has been cordoned off and thorough investigations are ongoing.

‘The UKCA are treating it as a matter of priority because of the proximity to the high school of Glasgow, which will be starting its autumn term in a few weeks. There is no suggestion, however, that the school buildings could be in any danger.’

hawks are due to stage the season’s opening BT Premiership match against newly-promoted Marr on september 2, but Mr hamilton admitted they will almost certainly have to find an alternative ground for the start of the season.

A UKCA spokesman said: ‘our initial desktop investigation discovered that there is a recorded mineshaft within close proximity of the depression in the ground.’

sources within the authority said it was inevitable that any sports clubs using old Anniesland would have to move away while such invasive remedial works were being carried out.