Italian rugby player bitten on nose by dog

Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni. Photo / Getty Images

Martin Castrogiovanni is an injury doubt for Italy's Six Nations clash with Scotland on Sunday after he was bit on the nose by a friend's dog.

The 33-year-old required 14 stitches in his nose in what the Italian camp have described as a "minor household accident" on Saturday, and the Toulon prop was left out of the provisional squad for the round three encounter at Murrayfield.

The match has already been billed as a Wooden Spoon decider with both teams losing their opening two fixtures in the tournament, but any hope that Italy have of winning on the road would suffer a serious blow if Castrogiovanni doesn't recover in time for the game.

Wasps prop Lorenzo Cittadini has been drafted into the squad as cover, with Castrogiovanni given until midweek to prove his fitness before a decision is made on his selection.

Castrogiovanni is not the only sportsman to suffer an injury at the mouth of man's best friend.

A footballer was taken to hospital in Brazil after being bitten by a police dog during a first-division match.

Democrata striker Joao Paulo was bitten on his left arm by a police dog after running out of bounds during his side's game with Tupi in the Minas Gerais state regional championship.

After going out of bounds behind the goal, Paulo fell to the floor close to the canine. Whilst the dog was on a leash the police officer holding it could not pull it back in time to stop the attack.

Paulo was able to return to the match after doctors wrapped his arm in bandages but Democrata said that he was taken to a hospital immediately after the game to receive an anti-rabies vaccine. To make matters worse for Paulo his side lost 1-0 as well.

- The Independent