SCOTLAND coach Vern Cotter hopes to have some injured players back for next week’s Six Nations Championship match against Italy, but at the same time he remains concerned about several who were injured during Saturday’s 27-23 defeat by Wales.
Stuart Hogg, who left the field in the first half in Cardiff because of a back knock, has been passed fit. But Blair Cowan’s concussion will need to be monitored, Tommy Seymour is in a protective boot because of a sprained ankle, and Sean Maitland will continue to receive treatment and assessment after pulling out of the squad with a thigh problem.
Richie Gray had the same problem as Seymour but was able to take his protective boot off yesterday. The lock “will return to the care of the Castres medical team in the fallow week of the Championship,” according to a statement from Scottish Rugby.
“Seymour's ankle remains shielded by the boot and will require ongoing care and assessment. Cowan suffered a concussion in the final throes of the match and will now be subject to the graduated return-to-play protocols with his club, London Irish.
“Hogg suffered a back strain in the first half that forced him off the the field before the half-hour mark, but is not considered an immediate concern. Maitland has returned to his club, London Irish, for further care and assessment.”
While Cotter will hope that all those players are cleared to play in Rome, he is also optimistic about several others who have yet to play in this year’s tournament. “Other players come back into the reckoning,” he said.
“Peter Horne might be back; he had some game time with Glasgow. Josh Strauss came on. Grant Gilchrist can't be far away. There are a few players who might enter the fray and make themselves available for the next game, which is pleasing.”
Although encouraged by aspects of Scotland’s play against Wales compared to their previous showing against England, Cotter will maintain the demand for continued improvement in training this week.
“I think we need to work on everything,” he said. “We have to improve all over.
“We held the ball for long periods of time and I think that's encouraging. The guys can take confidence from that. It may not be the way we choose to play against Italy, but it certainly gives us confidence to do that if we decide to.”
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