Greig Laidlaw ruled out of autumn Tests with fractured ankle

By Adam Ellis
Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw will miss matches against Samoa, New Zealand and Australia this autumn after Clermont Auvergne confirmed he had fractured his ankle.
The former Gloucester scrum-half suffered the injury in Clermont’s 26-21 victory over the Ospreys last weekend and the Top 14 side’s medical team have said Laidlaw will be sidelined for between 10-12 weeks.
The latest injury is the second time in 2017 Laidlaw has been ruled out through an ankle injury after he strained ligaments in Scotland’s defeat against France in February. Clermont did not specify whether this latest setback was to the same ankle the 32-year-old damaged earlier in the year.
Glasgow Warriors pair Henry Pyrgos and Ali Price will now contest for the starting spot in Gregor Townsend’s back-line, with the first Test of the series four weeks away.
Stand-in skipper John Barclay may also struggle to play a part as he continues to battle against an ongoing concussion issue.