Face-gashed Lion to see a specialist
There are no hard feelings after Lions fullback Stuart Hogg suffered a freak facial injury accidentally caused by his room-mate Conor Murray.
Hogg lasted just 19 minutes against the Crusaders on Saturday after colliding with the elbow of the Irish halfback.
The 24-year-old Scot is in good spirits, but nervously waits to discover if his tour could be over after going down immediately on the field in Christchurch, with blood pouring from a nasty gash on his left cheek.
Lions coach Warren Gatland said in Dunedin that Hogg is seeing a specialist this week to determine how serious the injury is.
Tommy Seymour revealed Hogg and Murray were rooming together on tour and said the pair had seen the funny side of the sickening collison.
‘‘They’re good mates - that’s contact sport isn’t it? It’s an unfortunate incident that’s occurred. Those two are absolutely fine,’’ the Scottish winger said.
‘‘I think they moved past it very quickly. They’ve had a couple of jokes themselves. I think they’re in a fine place.
‘‘Hoggy is Hoggy. He looks on the bright side of life. He’s got a great attitude, so everyone’s fingers are crossed for him. Those two are getting on grand.’’
Murray, who was outstanding at fullback as the Lions beat the Crusaders 12-3, dislocated a finger in Christchurch but will be fine to train fully again.
Hogg, played of the tournament in the last two Six Nations, started against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians and the Crusaders but wasn’t considered for Gatland’s team playing the Highlanders tonight.
Tour captain Sam Warburton has recovered from an ankle knock to play in Dunedin and Kiwi-born Jared Payne starts at fullback after struggling with a calf problem.
Dan Biggar starts his second game at first five-eighth after passing all the concussion tests following a head knock against the Blues.
Centre Jonathan Davies is already symptom free after leaving the field against the Crusaders and then failing a head injury assessment, but he can’t be considered until Saturday’s clash with New Zealand Maori in Rotorua because he must complete return-to-play protocols.
Loose forward Ross Moriarty hasn’t been fully training because of a back strain but is expected to be fit again that later this week.