Injury cloud hangs over trio

Leslie is a doubt for the first Test

Gregor Townsend will return to the Scottish side for their match against Nelson Bays on Tuesday after recovering from injury but doubts have been cast over the fitness of three key players.

Back-rower Martin Leslie, wing Glenn Metcalfe and hooker Steve Brotherstone are all under a cloud for Saturday's first Test against the All Blacks, but Townsend's rib cartilage problem has cleared up.

Leslie is the one causing the most concern with his chances of playing rated at "less than 50-50".

The New Zealand-born Leslie had his wrist x-rayed on Saturday after injuring it in the win over East Coast-Poverty Bay last Tuesday, which confirmed no fracture.

Townsend returns from injury to face Nelson Bays

But the problem has not cleared up anything like as quickly as initially expected, and coach Ian McGeechan is unable to give him a run out against Nelson Bays.

"It is disappointing," he admitted, "because we felt he was going to be ready for this game."

Should Leslie fail to recover before Saturday, as seems likely, then Newcastle number eight Ross Beattie will be an even stronger contender to make his Test debut against the All Blacks.

Consideration

Metcalfe has a lingering Achilles problem and Brotherstone sprained his right shoulder joint in Saturday's 18-15 loss to New Zealand Maori.

Centre James McLaren, who left the field with a shin injury against the Maori, is expected to be fit for the Test.

His likely centre partner, Townsend, will play at fly-half against Nelson Bays but McGeechan is expected to play him in the midfield against New Zealand.

"I said to Gregor that we would try to be fair and give him a run at number 10 but at the moment our main consideration for him is at 13," explained McGeechan.

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Scotland: D Lee; C Murray, D Officer (all Edinburgh Reivers), A Bulloch (Glasgow Caledonians), C Joiner (Leicester); G Townsend (Brive), G Burns (Reivers); A Jacobsen, S Scott (both Reivers), M Stewart (Northampton), I Fullarton (Reivers), S Campbell (Caley), D Mackinnon (Reivers-capt), J Petrie, R Reid (both Caley). Replacements: G Bulloch, G McIlwham (both Caley), R Metcalfe (Reivers), R Beattie (Newcastle), G Beveridge (Caley), G Shiel (Reivers), S Longstaff (Caley).