SCOTLAND received an injury scare yesterday when their experienced centre Scott Hastings suffered knee damage in training.

The powerful Watsonians player will have to undergo a fitness test before Saturday's opening Five Nations Championship clash against Ireland in Dublin.

Hastings immediately withdrew from the weekend training session when the injury flared up.

But team manager Jim Telfer seemed to play down the scare despite admitting that Hastings' knee had seized up. He said: "Scott is of the opinion that he will be OK."

If Hastings fails to recover, Telfer has indicated that he is more likely to bring in an experienced centre rather than recall stand off Craig Chalmers and switch Gregor Townsend back to centre.

"That would not be our first option," said Telfer, who also reported that all his other squad members are fully fit for the Lansdowne Road clash."