Scotland rugby players in assault inquiry

FOUR Scotland rugby internationalists are part of a police investigation after a club rugby player was left with a fractured eye socket following an early-morning incident.

Police are investigating an alleged assault on Ally MacLay (right) . Picture: TSPL

Sean Maitland, Ryan Grant, Ryan Wilson and Scotland sevens player Rory Hughes are believed to have been present when the fracas took place at the Barbecue King takeaway shop in Glasgow’s Great Western Road.

Glasgow Hawks centre Ally Maclay was injured in the incident.

Maclay, a former Scotland under-21 cap, took himself to hospital where he was released after treatment on Sunday evening. He has been unable to return to work as a PE teacher and will not play for Glasgow Hawks for the foreseeable future.

Police Scotland confirmed that they were investigating the incident, aided by CCTV from the shop, but were last night still to determine whether charges would be brought.

A spokesperson said: “We received a report of a 29-year-old man assaulted outside a take-away shop around 1:25am on Sunday morning. Inquiries are continuing and no arrests have been made.”

Glasgow Warriors, to whom Maitland, Grant, Wilson and Hughes are signed, are currently in Ireland preparing for a RaboDirect PRO12 match with Connacht tonight.

Wilson is working his way back from a five-month injury and Maitland and Grant, who made their British and Irish Lions debuts in the summer, are with the Scotland squad gearing up for the autumn Tests, so none was scheduled to play.

Hughes trains with Glasgow but is contracted to the Scotland sevens squad.

A Warriors spokesman declined to comment, adding: “We do not comment on speculation.”

The Scotsman understands that the Warriors and Hawks squads had been at separate Halloween parties and an altercation between the parties took place earlier in the nearby Viper nightclub, resulting in a player being ejected.

The Hawks players were in fancy dress and Maclay was wearing a nursery rhyme Tweedledee costume when he entered the takeaway.

While the four Glasgow players are believed to have been present, The Scotsman understands that not all were involved in the alleged incident.

Maclay has been a regular player in the RBS Premiership this season, featuring in last Saturday’s Hawks win over Edinburgh Accies.

The SRU said that they would not comment “on speculation”.

Scotland coach Scott Johnson is understood to be aware of the allegations and Maitland and Grant remain with the Scotland camp.