Cairns out for rest of year after surgery

EDINBURGH centre Ben Cairns has been ruled out of action for the rest of 2011 after undergoing knee surgery.

The seven-times capped player missed out on selection for Scotland’s final Rugby World Cup squad when he was one of the players trimmed from the final 30 who went to New Zealand. He picked up an injury shortly after that, but the current problem goes back to the start of the season.

The 25-tear-old’s enforced absence for the next three months leaves him little time to regain match fitness ahead of the RBS Six Nations Championship even if his rehabilitation goes smoothly, with Scotland’s first match scheduled for 4 February against England at Murrayfield.

An Edinburgh Rugby spokesperson said: “Ben Cairns, will be unavailable for selection for at least 12 weeks following arthroscopic surgery on the knee he injured in the club’s pre-season friendly against Sale Sharks on Friday 19 August.

“The time taken has allowed a full assessment of Ben’s knee with the outcome of the investigative ‘key-hole’ surgery a positive one, in that it revealed minimal damage to Ben’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which would have required a more invasive operation and a longer period out of action.

“During this time, Ben will be reassessed regularly at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital and receive continuous rehabilitative support from the expert medical team at Edinburgh Rugby.”

Cairns joined Edinburgh in 2004, and signed a three-year contract extension last year.