Scotland will almost certainly have to do without the services of their Lions prop Euan Murray when they kick off their Six Nations rugby campaign against France at Murrayfield on 7 February because the game is on a Sunday.
Murray, who has 28 caps, is a devout Christian and is understood to be reluctant to take part in a match which would compromise his belief in Sabbath observance.
Although unwilling to discuss the matter publicly on this occasion, Murray has acknowledged in the past that he has wrestled with the issue of playing on a Sunday before now.
Scotland also began their 2009 Six Nations with a Sunday match, Scotland V Wales, and while Murray indicated that he would play in that game he was ruled out by a rib injury shortly before the team was chosen.
Curiously, Scotland's first match of the 2008 Six Nations, Scotland V France, was also on a Sunday. Murray played in that game, but his religious convictions appear to have deepened significantly in the intervening time.
Murray, a qualified vet, has only just returned to action for Northampton after recovering from the ankle injury that curtailed his involvement in the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa last summer.
During last month's Test series, his place in the Scotland front row was taken by Glasgow's Moray Low, who is likely to keep the tight head berth if Murray stands by his inclination not to play Sunday rugby.
Off the back of an exhilarating and somewhat exhausting Autumn series, Rugby Unions international focus is now shifting firmly to next years RBS Six Nations. Off the back of their hard fought 15-10 win over the reigning world champions, Scotland will be more confident than ever of retaining their title and winning their third grand slam. RBS Six Nations Hospitality for all of the fixtures in this years hotly anticipated competition are currently on sale at Corporatehospitalitygroup.com
The club have no more Sunday matches scheduled this season, but the issue could still arise for them in the Heineken Cup.
A Northampton spokesman said the club would not comment on the contractual position of any individual player.
Murray, formerly of Glasgow, once explained that he had been a Christian for most of his life, but his faith deepened dramatically three years ago when, after suffering with a series of injuries and other problems, he decided to devote his life to God.
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