AS feared, Glasgow Warriors are facing a hooker crisis that could affect not just their European Champions Cup match this weekend against Montpellier, but might also roll on to the two 1872 Cup games against Edinburgh.

They were already short of players before George Turner got himself into trouble with a stupid off-the-ball charge into Louis Picamoles in the home leg against Montpellier.

He seemed lucky to get away with a yellow card in the game and yesterday that was confirmed when an independent European disciplinary panel banned him for four weeks.

They ruled it was a mid-range offence, meaning an automatic sanction of six weeks, reduced by two for his admission of guilt and because this was his first offence.

The problem for Glasgow is that both Fraser Brown and Pat MacArthur are unsure when they will return to action – the club hope at least one will be available this weekend but have had to make contingency plans in case neither is ready before the New Year by adding Grant Stewart from Glasgow Hawks, to their registered squad.

The other players are just going to have to cope the best they can as they go hunting revenge in France this weekend. “We have a point to prove,” pointed out Matt Smith, the 21-year-old flanker. “We have not done well in Europe so we need to go out and give it a bash.”

“It was an incredible experience playing against Montpellier, there were a few of my heroes in their team [including Aaron Cruden, the fly half, and Louis Picamoles, the No.8] so it was good to play against them. They are big in my books.

“Picamoles is just a big physical guy, it you go high on him he will just throw you off, as I found out. You need to go low and get him down as quickly as possible. It was a good learning experience for me.”