'Delicate situation' - Scotland prop's return to be handled with care

Glasgow Warriors prop Murphy Walker will play for Glasgow Hawks in the Premiership on Saturday. | SNS Group

Scotland prop Murphy Walker will return to action on Saturday when he plays for Glasgow Hawks against Kelso in the Premiership at Poynder Park.

It’s a welcome comeback for the tighthead who has had to endure a dreadful run of injuries. Franco Smith, his coach at Glasgow Warriors, believes the player was pushed too far early in his career but is delighted to see him take tentative steps back into competitive action after a long-term neck issue.

“Murphy is now ready to play,” said Smith who intends to handle his return with caution. “The difference now is we're at the back end of the competition and the amount of minutes that the other players have played in comparison to him is big for that specific role. He's a prop forward, it's different from any other role. The technique and the strength and the conditioning comes through playing as well.

Glasgow Warriors prop Murphy Walker will play for Glasgow Hawks in the Premiership on Saturday. | SNS Group

“He's going to play this weekend for Hawks and we'll keep an eye out. But we don't want to throw him back in where he has not had the best rugby preparation and he gets hurt again. It's a delicate situation with him.

“Currently we have other people fulfilling that role and I'm of the opinion he's been pushed too much too early in his life already and that's where his chronic injuries come from. We've got to be patient with him. We want to make sure we don't go backwards again from an injury back to another injury.”

Walker, 25, has not played this season. His last match was in July when he came off the bench to help Scotland beat Uruguay 31-19 in Montevideo, winning his fifth cap. He played just twice for Glasgow Warriors last season.