THE full scale of the carnage in the Scotland dressing room after their defeat by Wales at the weekend has now become clear with team officials confirming that three of the squad are likely to miss the rest of the RBS Six Nations Championship with injuries collected during the game.

The biggest loss is Richie Gray, the giant lock, who had been forming a more than useful partnership with Jonny, his younger brother. The contrast in styles, him taking advantage of a roving commission while Jonny gets on with the graft, was obviously working and looked as though it was developing into a unit that could have served Scotland into the Rugby World Cup and beyond.

It was obvious when he came off in the 56th minute that he was suffering, and now scans have established that he has torn a tendon in his arm that is going to require surgery to stitch it back together and will rule him out of action for between three and four months - up to or beyond the end of the season. Tim Swinson got the call yesterday, his 28th birthday, to take his palace in the squad.

There was plenty of sympathy for Richie Gray's plight from Al Kellock, his captain and partner when he launched his career at Glasgow. Apart from appreciating more than most Richie Gray's contribution to the side, Kellock himself had a similar injury at the end of last year, which gave him an extra empathy.

"Any team that loses Richie Gray, it is a blow," said Kellock. "The biggest emotion is to be disappointed for him as a person but he will get back and quickly too. It sounds similar to the injury I did last December but that is professional sport - we put our bodies through that. It gives someone else an opportunity.

"Swinson will come into the squad and he will do very well, he played exceptionally well at the weekend. That is the good thing about Scottish rugby at the moment, there is real strength in depth.

"Jonny and Richie Gray have been playing exceptionally well for Scotland with Jim Hamilton coming off the bench and making an impact. Tim [Swinson] will go into the mix with them and Ben Toolis, going for three positions so it will be competitive and none of them will give an inch. It will be interesting to see what happens."

While Gray was the only player form the starting fifteen to miss out through injury, it has now emerged that both the replacement props, Gordon Reid and Jon Welsh, current clubmates with Kellock at Glasgow Warriors, are also out for the immediate future. Kellock was full of praise for Welsh who broke his hand soon after taking to the field but not only played on but made some vital contributions, including the final try.

"He was incredibly brave to keep playing for 20 to 25 minutes with that broken hand. It would have been tough but that shows what he has got. He didn't just play but he played exceptionally well, scrummaged well, tackled well got a vital turnover and got his try. He is in a very competitive position and took his opportunity and that is probably the hardest thing for him about being out for a few weeks," said Kellock

Reid was taken of obviously dazed after being knocked out but the knee injury he collected when he fell is more serious. Scans show he has damaged a medial ligament, though it is not yet clear exactly how long he will be out of action.

In practice, there is cover for both and no question of them being replaced. Ryan Grant was recalled before the France game and will presumably take Reid's spot on the loosehead while there are no more Sunday games so Euan Murray will be available for the rest of the campaign on the tighthead.

The biggest issue could be on Glasgow, who would have expected to get all their players not in the Scotland starting fifteen back from the international camp in time to play a role in the top-of-the-table clash with the Ospreys at the weekend.

"The last game was a good one for us," said Kellock. "We did some things exceptionally well but also did some things at a level that was nowhere near where we need it to be to win on Saturday. That is good; it means the focus is there. It will be a physical, abrasive game. A tough game.

"Psychologically, the win last week as important to put us top, but now we have to stay there. This was always going to be a big game regardless of how the results went last weekend. When you are up there, these games always take on an extra importance."