British and Irish Lions 2017: Stuart Hogg facing anxious wait over potential tour-ending injury

Hogg ran into teammate Conor Murray's elbow and needed to see a specialist over a cheek injury after being forced off in the win over the Crusaders

(Getty)

Stuart Hogg is facing a nervous wait to discover if his British and Irish Lions tour is over after needing to see a specialist on the cheek injury he suffered in the victory over the Crusaders.

The Scotland international suffered head injury when connecting with teammate Conor Murray’s elbow while chasing his own kick. Having been led from the field of play with blood streaming from his face, Hogg now awaits the results of a scan that will determine if he has suffered a tour-ending injury.

“We're getting a specialist to have a look at that cheek of his, to get some idea in the next 24 to 28 hours in terms of how serious that is in terms of an injury,” said head coach Warren Gatland on Sunday.

“We're hoping he'll be okay but we're just getting someone more qualified than me to assess that.”

With Hogg ruled out of Tuesday’s match against the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin and Leigh Halfpenny being saved for Saturday’s encounter with the New Zealand Maori, Gatland named Irishman Jared Payne starts at full-back with a fresh matchday XV selected.

“He's been a little frustrated, again we need some game time with him,” Gatland said of Payne. “We knew he wasn't going to get 80 minutes, it was important to get him a little longer on the field.

“He's getting another run, and we're looking at him as that full-back option as potential cover for that.”

It’s not all bad news on the injury front for the Lions though, with captain Sam Warburton back from an ankle knock to start and Jonathan Davies showing no symptoms of concussion despite failing a head injury assessment in the 12-3 victory in Christchurch on Saturday.

Warburton also looks set to double-up for the Lions and play some part in Saturday’s encounter with the Maori, be it in the starting line-up in successive matches or – more likely – from the replacements as Gatland looks to give his tour captain as much game time as possible in an effort to make the side for the first Test against the All Blacks a week on Saturday, having only played 67 minutes or rugby in more than two months due to knee and ankle injuries.

Justin and Sean are two of the fiercest competitors I've ever come up agains

&#13; <p>Sam Warburton</p>&#13;

“I probably only missed one or two sessions,” Warburton added. “My preparation hasn't changed a whole lot.

“I was hoping to get involved in this game. So not much has changed really.

“I've always said I think I need a couple of games to get up and running, so I'll be better on Tuesday.”

Warburton will return to the side against the Highlanders (Getty)

The issue for Warburton is that if he is not up to speed to take on the All Blacks, he is competing against two other openside specialists that in his eyes he sees as world class in Justin Tipuric and Sean O’Brien.

“I've always said, if I had to name a top five of sevens in the world, I'd put Justin and Sean in that top five,” he said. “It was the same going back four years ago, it was immense competition then.

“Justin and Sean are two of the fiercest competitors I've ever come up against.

“It's a lovely luxury to have, but you could lose a couple of guys at openside and you'll already put in someone else who has Test experience at Lions level.”