Scotland Rugby News Scotland have suffered a major blow ahead of the upcoming RBS Six Nations with tighthead prop WP Nel being ruled out of the tournament with a neck injury.
He suffered the injury during his comeback against Harlequins
The 30 year old prop was named in Vern Cotter’s Six Nations squad on Wednesday, but a scan has revealed that he has damaged an intervertebral disc in his neck during a Challenge Cup matchup against Harlequins.
It is not yet clear whether Nel will require corrective surgery, but he injury will keep him out for the duration of the tournament and also casts major doubt on his chances of being selected for the British and Irish Lions in the summer.
The South African born prop had only just returned from an injury layoff that kept him out of the Autumn international series before going off just half an hour into his comeback.
Nel has been Coach Cotter’s first choice, so losing the Edinburgh man be a major setback going into a gruelling series of games against the northern hemisphere’s finest. This has been exacerbated by the loss of Nel’s front row partner Al Dickinson.
A lot now rests on the broad shoulders of Fagerson
Twenty Year old Warrior Zander Fagerson has been an able replacement in his stead, but Scotland are significantly weaker without Nel and are perilously low in depth. Uncapped Simon Berghan has been drafted in as cover for Nel, with Jon Welsh brought back in place of Dickinson on the other side.
Not great news but an opportunity for others to impress. Stay positive
Get well soon wp lions no til june
Go Zander !!!
Benjamin Purkiss-Mcendoo WHY
Big loss but also a big opportunity for Zander been impressed with him so far this season..
Course he can!
Xander is showing great potential , but someone needs to coach him in how to scrummage without having his legs positioned like a second-row. Gives away too many penalties in this regard. Apart from that, I think he’ll be a capable debutante to Nel.
Shit
Drat!
I am less sorry as he’s only a Scot by residency.
A loss, but excited to see what Fagerson can do
I respect WP Nel as a player and I wish him a speedy recovery, but there is absolutely no justification to him playing for Scotland or The British and Irish Lions. The residency rules are farcical and have been cynically abused. http://www.rugbydump.com/2015/12/4824/friday-funnies-awkward-rwc-2015-press-conference-proves-scotlands-south-african-born-prop-does-not-play-the-bagpipes
Fraser Bell
Fuck
Alex Cape
Noooooo!
Bummer
big big loss for Scotland and The Lions… Very bad timing for him, hope he gets well soon…
Shite that’s bad news
Jacob Lennox
Was impressed by Fagersen in the Autumn tests so, hopefully, he can step up to the plate.
David Cameron xx
A huge loss, a real shame to loose such a class player.
Big shame….
Nel gives such excellent scrummaging stability. He was fantastic last season. Get well soon.
According to David Flatman he’s more than up to it
Of course he can. Go Zander.
So sorry for you Mr Nel. Incredible contribution to the national team. Come back if you can.
Stay positive Scotland we have good replacements
Irénée …………..
Mmmmmm Fagerson is decent, my worry now is who comes on after 60 mins as let’s face it most games we are still in touch at 60 mins and then tail off.