SCOTLAND prop Euan Murray faces a race to be fit for Scotland's autumn Tests with Australia, Argentina and Fiji.
The player revealed yesterday that a broken leg had forced him to cut short his involvement in the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa.
As he recovered from an operation to have two pins inserted in the injury, Murray said: "I am not puttin
g a timetable on my recovery – it will take as long as it takes. I had surgery last week and hopefully that has done the trick. The whole business has been very frustrating and I am now just focussing on getting back to rugby as soon as possible."
It had been thought that ligament damage sustained in the build up to the first Test in Durban had been the reason behind the decision to send Murray home from the trip.
However, it was only when he arrived back in the UK that he discovered his lower shin had been fractured. The new lay-off is the latest setback in a miserable year for Murray, who was sidelined for a large part of the Six Nations campaign.
Meanwhile, one of Scotland's other Lions – lock Nathan Hines – is set to move from Perpignan to Heineken Cup winners Leinster.
Officials at the French club have agreed to release the former Edinburgh hero after his Lions selection forced him to miss the climax of the national championship. Leinster last night refused to comment on the possibility of Hines joining the European champions, but it is understood that the player will be heading to Ireland for next season.
Hines is currently en route to his homeland of Australia with his family for a holiday following the bruising tour of South Africa.
• The Springboks have been charged with misconduct by the International Rugby Board for their protest against the suspension of Bakkies Botha.
South Africa players sported white armbands with the message "Justice 4 Bakkies" during Sunday's third Test against the British and Irish Lions.
Botha was given a two-week ban for a dangerous charge on Wales prop Adam Jones seven days earlier, sparking the protest orchestrated by captain John Smit and the South African Players' Association.
