As suspected, Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2017 RBS 6 Nations with the ankle injury he suffered in the loss to France.
A scan undertaken at his club, Gloucester, confirmed the clinical suspicion that the 58-times capped scrum-half sustained ankle ligament damage just after the 20 minute mark.
Laidlaw will see a specialist later in the week to determine the best course of management and estimated time out of the sport. He is due to leave Gloucester at the end of the season after signing for Clermont.
The extent of the damage is such that he will take no further part in the current championship, which means that Henry Pyrgos is sure to be called up to the squad either before or after this weekend’s PRO12 action.
Ali Price will almost certainly not be released back to Glasgow and should be locked in a cotton wool lined cell somewhere.
In other news, it has all but been confirmed that Adam Hastings will be a Glasgow player next year. Todd Blackadder told the local press down there he’s leaving and we’re just waiting confirmation from north of the border but a deal has been rumoured for weeks.
Glasgow Warriors have signed loose-head prop Oliver Kebble from the Stormers ahead of the 2017/18 season, subject to visa and medical. It makes him almost a direct replacement for Gordon Reid. It is believed the IRFU/Munster also had their eye on Kebble.
The South Africa Under-20 international has signed a two-year-deal at Scotstoun and will arrive following his commitments with the Stormers and Western Province – he actually lives with Warriors’ other new signing Huw Jones.
Oli, who is the son of former Springbok Guy Kebble, has played 34 times for the Stormers to date and was a member of the South Africa U20s side that won the 2012 World Championship along with Allan Dell and Italian flanker Braam Steyn.