GREGOR Townsend the Gala international stand-off, will be out of rugby
for at least 10 weeks because of a recurrence of an old wrist injury.
The consequence is that he will be unavailable for Scotland's
international against South Africa at Murrayfield on November 19.
Townsend missed the early part of last season after an operation to
repair a broken bone in his left wrist, and an
X-ray has shown that it has cracked again. He is to have further
surgery next month for the fracture to be pinned.
Last night, the young stand-off explained that he had felt the wrist
sore since March, but he soldiered on through Scotland's tour of
Argentina with it strapped up. It was not examined until after he had
had an operation on the damaged knee that had also troubled him during
last season and the tour.
Ironically, he expects to have recovered well enough from the knee
injury to join in fitness training with Scotland's World Cup squad on
Sunday. Now, however, he is resigned to missing the first half of a
season for a second successive year, and setting his sights on regaining
an international place next year in the Five Nations' Championship and
the World Cup.
* GHK's players have been left in no doubt what their captain, Walter
Malcolm, expects of them. ''Give your best or clear off'' is the tenor
of his pre-season message.
''We must adopt a more professional, disciplined approach to
everything we do,'' Malcolm has written in a letter to GHK players.
''You will be expected to work hard. If you are not prepared to put in
the required effort, please do not bother to come.'' His attitude to
rugby demands as much respect from players as his family company's
trucks do on the road.
Malcolm, the Glasgow district back-row forward who stood in for the
injured Murray Wallace to lead GHK in 11 games last season, has
officially taken over the reins, becoming the first player to have been
elected captain of the two Anniesland clubs. He led Glasgow Academicals
before he jumped the fence six years ago.
Even before Malcolm's rallying call is answered on the field, GHK have
a new look as they approach their return to Scottish rugby's first
division.
The club's name has been redefined, new faces appear in the ranks, and
even the format of their pre-season Minerva Cup tournament has been
altered.
Steve Hirini, the New Zealand Maoris' 26-year-old stand-off, is the
most prominent of the Old Anniesland newcomers. An accountant, he
intends to stay in Scotland for a couple of years.
Hirini, though originally from the Horowhenua province, has been
playing fly half or inside centre for Wellington for the past three
years.
He is a goal-kicker of repute, scoring no fewer than 37 points in the
Maoris' warm-up match in preparation for their game against the Lions.
Gordon McIlwham, a Glasgow under-21 prop while he was with Clarkston,
also has joined the GHK ranks. So has Craig Brown, the New Zealand-born
London Scottish breakaway forward who played for the Anglo-Scots two
seasons ago.
Burn Stewart distillers maintain their sponsorship with a #15,000
package this season, and Brian Gilbert continues as coach. Hugh Hamilton
will again be his assistant, and the coaching duo will be joined next
month by Barrie Brown, the former Boroughmuir and Edinburgh hooker.
GHK's season opens on Sunday with the defence of their own Minerva
Cup. The tournament will again be sponsored by Ryden, but it will be
10-a-side instead of sevens. GHK claim the change will help players and
coaches to prepare for the national league.
A women's match between West of Scotland and Edinburgh Academicals has
been added to the afternoon's entertainment, which includes the
traditional over-35 match between GHK and Clarkston for the James Currie
Cup. Tournament draw (first tie 1.30):
Group A -- Watsonians, Kelso, Clarkston. Group B -- GHK, Glasgow
Academicals, Ayr. Group C -- Stirling County, Selkirk,
Hillhead/Jordanhill. Group D -- Hawick, West of Scotland,
Hutchesons'/Aloysians.
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