| Openside flanker Donnie Macfadyen, who had taken a chest knock in the loss to the Springboks at the ABSA Stadium last weekend, completed the entire 80 minute training session at Durban High School Old Boys’ Club and while captain Jason White worked separately with the medical team, he is also expected to be fit.
Flanker White later explained that in the first Test he had taken a bang to his knee in the same area he had sustained a blow in the Guinness Premiership semi-final, when his club, Sale Sharks, had defeated London Wasps.
“I know my own body and the medics, led by physio Bob Stewart, are doing a great job. I will be 100% on Saturday,” he said, an opinion with which Scotland coach Frank Hadden concurred.
Glasgow Warriors No 8 John Beattie, however, did not train. He remained at the team hotel having been laid low by a stomach bug.
Among the backs Hadden reported that full-back Hugo Southwell, who had taken a knock to his neck/shoulder last weekend, also completed the full training session today.
Wing Sean Lamont (leg injury) did mainly straight-line running with the medical team at today’s open training session. Hadden said: “Sean is better than expected. We felt there was no chance of him playing in the second Test earlier in the week. There is a glimmer of hope there now. We’ll be monitoring him over the next 24 hours.”
Beattie’s illness will also be monitored carefully in case any other members of the party come down with a similar bug. It also means any decision on whether Beattie can be released to join up with the Scotland under-21 squad in France cannot be made until the overall health of the squad in South Africa is ascertained.
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