EDINBURGH, March 8 (Reuters) - Scotland could be without their engine room for their potentially decisive Six Nations clash against Ireland next weekend as locks Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings are both injury doubts.
Scotland are in the running for their first success in the competition since 1999 but realistically must win in Dublin on Saturday to stand any chance.
Their 50-40 win over defending champions France at Murrayfield on Saturday kept alive their hopes but came at a potential cost as Brown was forced off in the first half with a hamstring injury while Cummings limped off in the second half with a sore calf.
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend was not confident about their availability for next Saturday's clash in Dublin.
"Sometimes these can be neural and what they feel is a torn calf or a torn hamstring might not be what we fear but it looks like certainly Gregor will be out and we'll see about Scott over the next few days."
However, centre Huw Jones and wing Kyle Steyn should be fit to play despite also going off during Saturday's victory. Steyn, who was named man of the match and scored two tries against the French, suffered a cut on his leg. "Let's hope it heals," Townsend said.
Jones was removed as a precaution, the coach added.
"He's obviously had an Achilles injury in the past. He was feeling it a little bit. He stayed on and then we decided to take him off."
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Helen Popper)
