Dave Cherry in Scotland rugby World Cup woe as freak hotel injury leaves hooker out of the tournament

Scotland's awful start to the Rugby World Cup has continued on bizarre fashion and without even kicking another ball - with hooker Dave Cherry ruled out of the tournament.

Gregor Townsend's side have been plotted in the 'group of death' in France after being drawn with current holders South Africa and Six Nations winners Ireland - and began their campaign in tough fashion with the Springboks battering them 18-3 on a sorry evening in Marseille on Sunday afternoon.

With Tonga and Romania up in their next two games, it's vital that Scotland pick up no less than two wins against the minnows of the group if they are to even cause an upset by heading through, with Ireland in their final game of the group stage key to whether they advance to the knockout stages or not. But that task has been made much more difficult with hooker Cherry being ruled out of the entire tournament - by picking up an injury after 'slipping on the hotel stairs' this week.

According to the Evening Standard, Cherry slipped and fell on the stairs at the team’s hotel on Monday, and after being ruled out of the tournament due to concussion, Edinburgh’s Stuart McInally will be his replacement.

McInally linked up with the squad on Thursday morning having been put on high notice after Ewan Ashman also picked up a concussion earlier in the tournament. Protocol in rugby suggested that players must take 12 days off to recover from concussion-related injuries, which all but rules Cherry out until the penultimate game of the group stage.

The hooker, who also plies his trade for Edinburgh, aired his disappointment at such a freak injury, but declared he was grateful for his first World Cup appearance last Sunday.

He said: “I’m hugely disappointed to be leaving the