JONNY Gray and Ross Ford are now all but certain to miss Scotland’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Australia on Sunday - despite an appeal being launched against their three-week bans.

Glasgow lock Gray and Edinburgh hooker Ford were suspended after being found guilty of foul play against Samoan opponent Jack Lam in Scotland’s last Pool B match. Both men had pleaded their innocence.

Scottish Rugby appealed as expected yesterday - but only against the length of the ban, not against the finding of guilt. The team management, who took that decision after reading the 16-page judgement on the case, believe that asking for a reduced ban has more chance of success than sticking with the original plea of innocence.

As things stand, the two forwards are out of the rest of the World Cup, which has another two weeks to run. But if their ban is cut to a week, and Scotland beat Australia, they could be available to head coach Vern Cotter for the semi-final and final.

“Scottish Rugby will appeal against the suspensions issued to both Ross Ford and Jonny Gray,” the national governing body said in a statement issued on Thursday morning. “It will contest the length of suspensions given.

“Both players have exemplary records and are widely acknowledged as model professionals who play the game in the right spirit. Their actions had no malice or harmful intention. Ross and Jonny have both expressed their surprise and disappointment at the three-week suspension which has been handed down.”

Mark Dodson, Scottish Rugby’s chief executive, added: “We hold Jonny and Ross in very high regard, and as a result will be launching a robust appeal to challenge their suspensions, which we feel are unduly harsh. I have asked for consistency in how such incidents are punished.”

Last night Rugby World Cup had yet to announce it had received notice of the appeal. A hearing normally takes place within 48 hours of an appeal being lodged. That could still mean a hearing taking place before Sunday’s game against the Wallabies at Twickenham, but Scotland now seem willing to wait longer than usual if it means getting the right result in the end.

Meanwhile, centre Mark Bennett has insisted that his team can take the game to the Australians in the match. The Glasgow Warriors back knows his team are underdogs against the two-time world champions, but believes that Scottish sides usually respond best in that situation.

“It tends to be the way it goes,” he said. “We always seem to be up against it and everyone does write us off, but I think the Scottish culture thrives on that.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s a huge opportunity for us. We’ve got nothing to lose, because no-one is expecting us to do well bar the squad itself. So yeah, let’s get into them.

“We’re going to go out and attack and take the game to them. The only way we’re going to beat them is by going at them. We’re not going to win by sitting off and trying to stay in the game till the latter stages.

“We want to go at them, though I’ve no doubt they’ll be saying exactly the same. So I reckon you could be in for a good one.”