Biarritz trio out of vital Scots games

GLASGOW and Scotland may have been dealt a favour with three Biarritz internationalists yesterday ruled out of action for the next six weeks.

Fabien Barcella, the prop, veteran centre Damien Traille and scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili all suffered ligament injuries in the club's defeat to Stade Francais on Saturday in the French Top 14. The trio possess 124 caps between them and were certainties to be named next Wednesday in France's 20-man squad, with their first Six Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Similarly, all would have been expected to face Glasgow in the final Heineken Cup pool match in France on Sunday week, a game that could yet determine whether Glasgow qualify for the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Glasgow would have to defeat Newport Gwent Dragons this Friday and rely on a lot of results falling into place elsewhere for that to occur, but it remains a possibility were the Scots to finish their pool matches with back-to-back wins.

France are already missing scrum-half Julien Dupuy to suspension, as well as Perpignan centre Maxime Mermoz, and Yachvili was a contender to return in the No9 jersey.

Meanwhile, young Wales back row Danny Lydiate is set to return from a hamstring injury for Friday night's match at Firhill. Dragons coach Paul Turner welcomed his return yesterday and acknowledged that his side face a stern test this week.

"Glasgow are similar to the Dragons," he said. "It's not all stars, but a workmanlike side with a couple of key players that we've always been aware of. Although we have a good record against them, the fact they are riding high at the top of the league and the fact they've made Firhill a bit of a fortress means that this definitely won't be an easy game.

"Christmas has not been a happy time for us.

The weather's been very tough to deal with. But, if you're not playing well and things go against you, you have to be able to fight back. It's just a question of making sure that we get things right on the pitch."

Glasgow name their squad this afternoon.

Dragons squad: Backs: J Tovey, M Thomas A Brew, R Gomer Davies, R Riley, R Fussell, M Watkins, J Arlidge, S Connor, J Leadbeater, D Lee; Forwards: H Gustafson, A McKenzie, T Willis (capt), S Jones, P Bracken, G Robinson, R Sidoli, L Charteris, H MacDonald, A Jones, G Webb, D Lydiate, L Evans, G Thomas.