STUART Hogg, the Glasgow Warriors full-back, has admitted that he is not certain how long he will be out of action after breaking a bone in his wrist.
However, it seems unlikely that he will be able to play a part in any of Scotland's three matches in November, even though he has not given up hope.
Hogg first damaged his hand in his club's match against Ulster last month, but then exacerbated the injury while playing against Leinster the following week. After a series of X-rays and scans, Warriors' medical team sent him in to have a pin put in the broken bone in his right wrist and it is not until he gets the cast off next week that the full-back will have any idea how much more rehabilitation is required.
"I'm champing at the bit but I've no idea yet when I'm going to be back," he said. "I've heard of people having this injury and still having problems with it after they're retired, so I want to get it right. You know me, if there's any chance of getting back [for the autumn Tests] I'll work as hard as I can to do it.
"It would be disappointing to miss them, but every game at this stage you're annoyed at missing. Injuries are part and parcel of rugby and you're going to pick up injuries during your career, so it's [about] being able to manage it, suck it up and get on with it."
It is dreadful timing for Hogg, who probably came back from the British and Irish Lions tour in the summer with the greatest boost to his reputation of any of the Scots contingent. While he had the misfortune to find himself behind Leigh Halfpenny, the Lions' player of the series, Hogg's willingness to shift to fly-half in order to help the squad, his all-round performances and also his profile as the youngest player in the touring party - and as a result guardian of the mascot - all meant he came home marked as a player to watch.
"You have to look on an injury as a positive, a chance to work elsewhere, so I've done a lot of leg weights, speed work and goal-kicking. Hopefully the Leinster game [when he missed all three of his shots at goal before going off] is behind me now," said Hogg.
"Next Wednesday, I'll see the specialist and he'll give me a rough guide of what I am able to do and what I'm not able to do. We've got very capable physios and doctors at Glasgow and with Scotland, who will help me get back fit and I hope I can still play some part in the autumn Tests."
He is not the only injury concern for Scotland as Scott Johnson, the interim head coach, prepares to name his squad for the training camp ahead of next month's Tests. Alex Dunbar, the Glasgow centre, suffered a neck injury during his club's match in Toulon and Gregor Townsend, the Warriors coach, says it will not be until next week that anybody can be sure how serious the damage is. The early signs are promising, but that was also true off Hogg, and two weeks later he had surgery.
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