Johnnie Beattie may face six months on sidelines

GLASGOW are paying a heavy price for success after confirming that their Scotland No 8 Johnnie Beattie will miss the first half of the new season.

• Johnnie Beattie. Picture: Robert Perry

Beattie was one of a large number of Glasgow players who pushed their way into Andy Robinson's international plans last season, a reflection of a Warriors improvement that also took the team into the inaugural Magners League play-offs. The cost, however, has been that a host of Sean Lineen's players have struggled to recover from the toll exacted on their bodies through a season that began last June and ended with an intense RBS Six Nations Championship, league run-in and June tour schedule.

Beattie has been battling a shoulder problem for some time and it has been decided that he must now undergo an operation to give him a chance of being fully fit for next year's World Cup in New Zealand. While he remains hopeful of being back in full training before the autumn Tests, he has been told his recovery period could be as long as six months.

Beattie is almost certain to miss the November Tests with New Zealand, South Africa and Samoa and will face a race to regain his match fitness and form for the 2011 Six Nations.

In another blow for Glasgow, talented back row James Eddie is also due to undergo a shoulder operation and is unlikely to play until next year.

The club have withdrawn from the forthcoming Challenge Vaquerin tournament in France, which they won last summer, because they do not currently have 22 fit and available players from their squad of 36.

Glasgow will play Scottish Cup champions Ayr at Millbrae on Saturday 7 August (kick-off 3pm) before completing their pre-season with matches against Sale Sharks at Firhill on Friday 20 August (7.30pm) and Wasps down at Adams Park on Saturday 28 August (3pm).