AS the Scotland team gear up for their first Test in preparation for the Rugby World Cup, they have been boosted by assurances from two of their injured players that they should be fit to get some game time in before the team heads for Japan.
Both Fraser Brown, the hooker who damaged a foot during the Guinness PRO14 final in May, and Sam Johnson, the centre who hurt an ankle in training, are on the verge of playing again and both are targeting the double header against Georgia for a comeback.
"My aim has always been to be involved in the latter games and that is unchanged," said Brown. "I am on track, maybe a little ahead of schedule. It will depend on the next couple of weeks and how much running I can get under my belt."
He was by far the more serious concern after picking up an injury when Glasgow Warriors lost to Leinster in the final at Celtic Park. At the time, looking at the way he was carried off on a stretcher, there were worries it might have been a knee problem but it was soon apparent it was the foot that had been damaged and he had to have surgery on it.
"They medical staff set out the recovery plan from the minute I got injured. We were pretty clear on when I was hoping to be fit and the markers I had to hit. It has been good for me being in camp the whole time, able to get physio and medical advice every day with that consistency from having the same medical and the same strength and conditioning staff," he said.
"Being with the squad, I have been able to get into the rugby stuff and understand what is going on so I should be able to make the transition from being injured to playing more easily."
He is back running, though not able to take a full part in training and also had the boost of Gregor Townsend, the head coach, suggesting last week that even if he does not manage to play before they set off, he is still going to be considered for a spot in the final squad.
The position with Johnson is more straightforward, not least because his injury was nowhere near as serious. "Adam Hastings tried to kill me – he stood on my foot or I stood on his foot and just rolled it over," he joked. "The injury is to my ankle ligaments.
"Adam was pretty apologetic. He was my little servant for a bit after that – I tried to make him feel as guilty as possible. For the first half an hour, I thought the worst but it didn't pop, or anything like that, so I thought 'it can't be too bad'."
Last week, Johnson was still watching training in a protective boot, but he is now out of that, is confident he will be back running by the end of the week and be ready to play before the end of the month.
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