Scotland Squad Update

Northampton Saints flanker Scott Gray has trained with the Scotland squad today as their preparations intensify for the 2010 RBS 6 Nations Championship, which gets underway against France at Murrayfield a week on Sunday. Gray, 31, is an experienced campaigner who won the last of his eight caps against England in last year’s championship. Edinburgh’s uncapped scrum-half, Greig Laidlaw, was also invited to today’s training camp in St Andrews but a shoulder knock prevented any active involvement on his part.  Northampton Saints flanker Scott Gray has trained with the Scotland squad today as their preparations intensify for the 2010 RBS 6 Nations Championship, which gets underway against France at Murrayfield a week on Sunday. Gray, 31, is an experienced campaigner who won the last of his eight caps against England in last year’s championship. Edinburgh’s uncapped scrum-half, Greig Laidlaw, was also invited to today’s training camp in St Andrews but a shoulder knock prevented any active involvement on his part. Scotland team doctor James Robson reported that flanker Alasdair Strokosch is stepping up his rehabilitation following an ankle injury he sustained on club duty with Gloucester, while scrum-half Mike Blair (Edinburgh) is making similar encouraging progress after an ankle injury. His team-mate, flanker Ross Rennie, sat out training today as he will require further assessment to the knee injury he sustained in his club’s Heineken Cup victory over Stade Francais at the weekend.  Jim Thompson, the uncapped Edinburgh back, also watched training today as he had a swollen knee from the same match. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Glasgow lock Richie Gray joined up with the squad today but was restricted to a watching brief after the blow to his face he sustained in the Heineken Cup match against Biarritz on Sunday. Around 8,500 tickets remain to see Scotland take on France on Sunday 7 February, at Murrayfield kick-off 3pm.