Scotland's captain Budge Pountney has been ruled out of their North American tour after suffering a sternum joint injury at Bristol on Saturday. The flanker will need four weeks to recover and the Newcastle lock Stuart Grimes will lead the Scots in their six-game tour, which includes Tests against Canada and the United States this month.

Grimes led the Scots in their 47-27 defeat by the Barbarians on Saturday. The Scots featured five new faces in Edinburgh in the scrum-half - Mike Blair, Andy Craig at outside-centre, Rory Kerr on the wing and two new props in Craig Smith and Allan Jacobsen. It was an improvement of sorts for Scotland, who last year shipped 74 points against the Baa-Baas.

Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen, who have hardly covered themselves in glory during the Barbarians tour, have been included in the All Black squad to play Italy in the first Test of the international season in Hamilton on Saturday. The All Blacks coach John Mitchell named a 22-man squad at the end of a four-day training camp at the beach resort of Whangamata yesterday.