SM
Watford vs. Leeds: 7 hrs 45 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Scotland

Autumn Internationals | Autumn Internationals 2019
Sep 6, 2019 at 7.30pm UK
 
Scotland
36-9
Georgia
Price (17'), Kinghorn (23'), Johnson (50'), Graham (69'), Horne (71'), Horne (77')
FT

Injury worries mount for Townsend ahead of World Cup

:Headline: Injury worries mount for Townsend ahead of World Cup: ID:370630: from db_amp
The Scotland head coach saw five players suffer setbacks during the win over Georgia.

Gregor Townsend was left counting the cost of his side's six-try victory over Georgia after confirming he has five World Cup injury concerns.

The most serious worries centre around flanker Jamie Ritchie who was taken to hospital after the Dark Blues' send-off clash at Murrayfield with a deep facial wound.

Lock Ben Toolis and full-back Blair Kinghorn both suffered head knocks that will require concussion checks while Blade Thomson and Jonny Gray – making his first run out of the warm-up series – are also nursing hamstring injuries.

Ben Toolis suffered a head injury against Georgia (Graham Stuart/PA)

With his side due to fly out to Japan on Monday and little more than a fortnight to go until their opener with Ireland in Yokohama on September 22, Townsend struggled to hide his angst.

The head coach – who saw Ali Price, Blair Kinghorn, Sam Johnson, Darcy Graham, George Horne and his brother Peter all run in tries as the Lelos were thumped 36-9 – said: "Jamie Ritchie went off with a facial injury.

"He will be going to the hospital tonight to find out the severity of that. That is our most concerning injury as he had to be replaced with a suspected facial injury. We hope it is not anything that will keep him out of the World Cup.

"Two players had to be removed due to concussion. Blair Kinghorn had a cut on the back of his head and had symptoms when he was getting stitched up. He will go through the protocols. Toolis picked up a head injury and was removed from the field of play.

"Blade Thomson felt his hamstring tightening up and his was more precautionary as was Jonny Gray who had just come back from a hamstring injury.

Blair Kinghorn was among Scotland's try scorers against Georgia (Graham Stuart/PA)

"Obviously the concern is if any will miss being on the plane and Jamie is the most cornering and we hope it is good news when he comes back from his hospital visit later tonight. It was more the impact on his face."

Scotland stuttered during the first half as the powerhouse Georgians got the upper hand at the scrum.

But they upped their tempo after the break and ran out comfortable winners.

Townsend added: "It was not so good in the first half and a disrupted second half. We adapted well and played with a lot of energy in the last 15 minutes. At times we looked good in the first half – we put pace on the ball and got behind the Georgian defence.

"We got a couple of good tries but we didn't hold on to the ball enough. We gave Georgia possession too easily, sometimes through penalties and ill-discipline, sometimes through not looking after the ball in contact.

"We adapted really well to having to put three different people into the second row in the second half. We scrummed with seven men for the last 10 minutes and did really well. The players got together and found a way to get a comfortable win in the end."

amp_article__370630 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-09-07 07:41:55:
html db last update - 2021-03-04 09:58:14 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Gregor Townsend

Click here for more stories about Scotland

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .