Gray faces lengthy spell on sidelines

Lock Richie Gray was left out of Gregor Townsend's Scotland training squad for the November internationals because he will have a back operation.

The same back problem ruled him out of Scotland's June international tour to Singapore, Fiji and Australia.

Gray was a notable absentee from the 41-man training camp squad named by Townsend on Thursday.

According to a source close to his club Toulouse, he needs surgery to repair the niggling back problem and is set to miss at least two to three months.