Mather Out Of Scotland Tour

Scotland’s rugby tour of Australasia lurched into an injury crisis today (Tuesday) with the news that flanker Cameron Mather
will return
home with ankle trouble.

Mather is the third player to be forced out of the tour by injury
in a week.
Mather’s injury compounded Scotland’s misery which began with
Saturday’s
tour-opening 41-5 drubbing by the Queensland Reds in Brisbane.

Mather joins prop Euan Murray, who failed to play a game because
of a thigh
injury, and fullback Robbie Kydd, who fractured a cheekbone against
the Reds,
who are off home.

Scotland coach Matt Williams called holidaying former Australian
under 21
representative Paul Dearlove into his squad as a replacement, placing
him on
to the reserves bench for Wednesday’s game against New South Wales
Country in
Wollongong.
“We needed a replacement for Cammy at short notice and it was
fortuitous
that Paul was on holiday in Sydney,” Williams said on.

“We made contact with him and he has now joined the squad for
the NSW
Country game.”

Dearlove, who was vice-captain of the ACT Brumbies’ second-string
side in
2002, has previously declined invitations to play in Australia’s
sevens side
so that he would not prejudice his eligibility for Scotland.
“I was surprised to get the call but I’m delighted to be able
to join the
squad,” said 25-year-old Dearlove.

“I’ll certainly do my very best to make the most of this
opportunity.
The chance to pull on the jersey and represent Scotland
really means so
much to me and it’s one I’ll certainly not take lightly.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to get on in the game and get the
chance to show
what I can do on the pitch.”

Scotland (v NSW Country) Gareth Morton; Simon Danielli, Marcus
Di Rollo,
Graeme Morrison, Hugo Southwell; Dan Parks, Graeme Beveridge; Jon
Petrie
(captain), Scott Gray, Andy Hall; Scott MacLeod, Craig Hamilton; Joel
Brannigan, Steve Scott, Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: Rob Russell, Colin Noon, Alastair Kellock, Paul
Dearlove, Mike
Blair, Stephen Cranston, Ben Hinshelwood.

AFP – 2004.