Scotland vs Wales Six Nations: Samson Lee ruled out as Wales hit by second bout of concussion

George North was already ruled out of the contest

Samson Lee (GETTY IMAGES)

Concussion has struck another blow to Wales’s Six Nations ambitions, with Samson Lee a late withdrawal from Sunday’s game against Scotland.

On Wednesday, George North was ruled out by head coach Warren Gatland as a precaution after taking two blows to the head in the 21-16 defeat to England.

From the moment Lee was selected for round two of the tournament, it was on the proviso that he passed his return-to-play protocol. But yesterday he was deemed to have insufficiently recovered from his own concussion in that game and has had his place at tight head taken by Aaron Jarvis.

How Gatland might come to rue Adam Jones’s international retirement, which he announced after being deemed surplus to requirements in Wales’s initial Six Nations squad.

Should Jarvis get injured at Murrayfield tomorrow, Wales will call on the services of Scott Andrews on the bench. Andrews has only been the Cardiff Blues’ fourth-choice tight head this season.

The Wales assistant coach, Rob Howley, said: “Samson hasn’t completed the final component of the concussion test. It’s obviously disappointing to lose a player of his ability and at this late stage but that’s why the protocol is there. It’s important that it’s in the best interests of the player.

“We are comfortable. Aaron has been here all week because Samson hasn’t taken part in training and Scott has been here as well. We feel for Samson but it’s important we move on and look forward to the opportunity it presents to both Scott and Aaron.”

As for a possible U-turn for Jones, that was quickly put to bed. Howley said: “We respect players’ decisions and Adam has retired from international rugby.”

Wales will go into the game with confidence, having never lost to Scotland during Gatland’s eight-year tenure. The Scots, meanwhile, failed to make enough inroads into France to pick up an opening-round win and have made two changes, both forced, from that line-up.

Coach Vern Cotter has brought in Sean Lamont in place of the injured Tommy Seymour on the wing, while Euan Murray, who does not play on Sundays due to his religious beliefs, sits out the game. His place at tight head goes to Geoff Cross.

Looking ahead to the game, Cotter said: “Last weekend’s performance, in terms of line breaks and heart, was encouraging. We defended well and our line-out, scrum and defence stood up to a very stern assessment. I’m pleased we were in a situation to contest the match throughout but we left very disappointed that we didn’t get more from the game. I think that’s a good measure of this squad.

“There’s a huge amount of determination to improve, with the challenge now to go one step further and deliver a winning performance for our fans,” he added.

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