Euan Murray will miss Scotland's Six Nations opener against France at Murrayfield on February 7 because his religious beliefs mean he can no longer play on Sundays.

For prop forward Murray, playing sport on Sundays is no longer compatible with his Christian faith.

The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) said they understood the 29-year-old Northampton front row's position and insisted Murray would remain a member of their Test squad.

Murray follows in the footsteps of New Zealand great Michael Jones, whose Christian beliefs saw him miss several World Cup matches in 1991 and be left out of the All Blacks' squad for the 1995 tournament because the quarter and semi-finals were scheduled for Sundays.

Murray's case also echoes the life of Scotland sporting hero Eric Liddell, a brilliant athlete who also won seven caps as a rugby union winger.

Liddell refused to take part in the 100 metres, his strongest event, in the 1924 Paris Olympics because the heats fell on a Sunday.

Instead he switched to the 400m and won a gold medal, while also collecting a bronze in the 200m.

Liddell's story was dramatised in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.

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