Injured Dan Parks remains hopeful of making autumn Tests

The 32-year-old stand-off has been nursing an injury to his right foot, and discovered a muscle to be torn during Saturday's Heineken Cup victory over Edinburgh, which may partly explain why he missed six kicks at goal.

Cardiff coach Dai Young said that Parks had been ruled out of the team's next two games. If he recovered in that time he would have two weekends before Scotland face New Zealand in their opening November international on 13 November, with Cardiff away to Aironi in Italy on 29 October and at Bath in the LVC Trophy on Friday 5 November.

While Scotland coach Andy Robinson hopes to have his players in camp at the start of November, he has not ruled out the possibility of players playing a week or two before the Test match if they need game-time.

"I'm not entirely sure yet how it will recover," said Parks. "We've got a specialist looking at it, but I'm pretty hopeful that I'll be fine for the internationals."

Robinson might be forgiven for keeping his fingers crossed over the next fortnight as with Phil Godman, Parks' recent deputy, out at least until March with a cruciate ligament injury there are few options at stand-off. The uncapped Ruaridh Jackson is taking his first few steps back at Glasgow but is under pressure for his place from teenager Duncan Weir, while David Blair at Edinburgh is uncapped.