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Tom Hamilton, Senior Writer
Scotland and Bath Rugby are sweating on the fitness of star fly-half Finn Russell after his club confirmed on Tuesday that he has suffered a “significant groin injury.”
Russell picked up the injury in Bath’s Champions Cup second round defeat to Exeter Chiefs on April 6. He limped off in the first half of the match, and while Bath have declined to put a timeframe on his recovery, they have suggested it is a worrying setback.
“Finn suffered a significant groin injury in the Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 tie against Exeter Chiefs,” Bath said in a statement. “His availability will be assessed weekly.”
Russell has been instrumental in Bath’s impressive season as they sit second in the Gallagher Premiership and would be hopeful of making the end-of-season playoffs. But Russell’s absence will come as a bitter blow for club and country.
The fly-half is regarded as one of the finest players in world rugby and starred for Scotland in the recent Six Nations. The injury could harm his chances of being fit in time for Scotland’s summer internationals where they face Canada, the USA, Chile and Uruguay.
Elsewhere, Bath have also announced Russell’s Scotland teammate Cameron Redpath sustained “significant ankle ligament damage” in the defeat to Exeter, while Tom de Glanville suffered a fractured foot in March and will miss the remainder of the season.