Wednesday 6 August 2014 14:48, UK
Edinburgh forward David Denton will be on the sidelines for at least three months after suffering a hamstring injury in training.
The 24-year-old No 8 was forced to miss Scotland’s summer tour due to concussion and he now faces a further spell out of action.
Denton was playing touch rugby when the injury occurred and he joins a long list of players who could be unavailable to coach Alan Solomons for the start of the season.
Before the length of his absence was known, Solomons said: “David tore a hamstring playing a conditioning game of touch.
“He did nothing for seven weeks as we had to be cautious because of the concussion and now this. He will be out for a while.
“He certainly won’t start the season but will probably be back a bit before (Test centre) Matt Scott who has had everything in his shoulder cleared up through surgery and is expected to return in November or December.”
They are already without Scotland scrum half Grayson Hart (dislocated elbow) and Namibian prop Wicus Blaauw, who is seeing a specialist about a groin injury.
Prop Willem Nel and back-row Mike Coman are making slow progress from summer surgery and hooker Neil Cochrane (bone bruising), Stuart McInally (ankle), Grant Gilchrist (ankle) and Ally Dickinson (quad) have all been treated for knocks at their training camp in the Borders.
The injuries have forced Edinburgh to call off a proposed training game against the Accies next week which was designed to give some of their second-string players a run-out.
Edinburgh start their pre-season campaign with a home friendly against Leicester Tigers on Saturday August 23.
They then open the Guinness PRO12 season with an away game against Munster on Friday September 5.
