Rugby news in brief

Wales wing Morgan Stoddart out of training camp

Knee forces Craig Gower to miss World Cup

Sharks scrum-half in Springboks squad

GLASGOW Warriors have confirmed they will play their first warm-up fixture against Newcastle Falcons on Friday, 12 August, kick-off 7.30pm.

The Warriors will take on the English Premiership side at Firhill before the new RaboDirect PRO12 campaign.

Warriors head coach Sean Lineen said: "These games give the coaches and players a chance to see what tweaks need to be made. It will be the first chance for the fans to see the six new signings. Michael Cusack, Troy Nathan, Rory Pitman, Gordon Reid, Tommy Seymour and Scott Wight are all working hard to assure their selection."

Wales wing Morgan Stoddart has picked up a thigh strain in training which will rule him out of next week's pre-Rugby World Cup training camp in Spala.

The squad leave for the first of two separate week-long training camps in Poland on Saturday with the squad to be announced on Friday.

Stoddart will remain in Wales for treatment but the Scarlets flier is expected to be available for the second camp which starts on Monday July 18.

"Morgan has picked up a strain to the quad muscle in his thigh and will need to be managed over the next couple of weeks," said WRU medical manager Prav Mathema.

ITALY stand-off Craig Gower has ruled himself out of the World Cup in New Zealand in September and October after failing to recover sufficiently from a knee ligament operation late last year.

"It has not been an easy decision," the former Australian rugby league international said in a statement. "My recovery has not gone as anticipated."

Italy coach Nick Mallett said he respected Gower's decision and has called up Australian-born Kristopher Burton as a replacement in his 36-man pre-World Cup training squad.

SOUTH Africa have brought Sharks scrum-half Charl McLeod into their preliminary World Cup squad to replace Ricky Januarie, who retired from internationals last week.

The 27-year-old McLeod is the seventh uncapped player in the Springboks' 49-man group, which will gather in Cape Town on Tuesday to prepare for the Tri-Nations and the defense of their World Cup title.

The South African Rugby Union will announce its full squad for the Tri-Nations on Saturday, 9 July.