Neck injury rules out WP Nel

Edinburgh - Scotland and Edinburgh prop WP Nel has been ruled out of the forthcoming Six Nations with a neck injury, Scottish Rugby confirmed on Friday.

A MRI scan on Wednesday at Spire Murrayfield Hospital revealed that the former Free State Cheetahs tighthead damaged an intervertebral disc in his neck during a significant collision in his club’s European Challenge Cup win over Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop last Saturday.

Nel, 30, will now have a second specialist assessment at Spire on Monday to consider his programme of recovery, including whether corrective surgery is required.

Nel was one of four South African-born players in the Scotland squad.

The others are prop Allan Dell, flank Cornell du Preez, No 8 Josh Strauss.

Centre Huw Jones was born in Edinburgh but is currently contracted to the Stormers.

No replacement for Nel was named.

Scotland open their Six Nations campaign when they host Ireland on February 4.

Scotland Six Nations squad:

Forwards

Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby), Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Toulouse), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby), John Barclay (Scarlets), Cornell Du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby), John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby), Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

Backs

Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, captain), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Weir (Edinburgh Rugby), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Stormers), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Tim Visser (Harlequins)