Paul Burke, the one-time Irish international out-half who was in line for a recall to the Irish A squad to play the South Africans next Wednesday week, has been sidelined for eight to 10 weeks after sustaining a broken arm in Harlequins' European Shield defeat to Dax last weekend.

Ironically Burke had been rested for his club's first three Shield games to recover from a nagging thigh injury which he had been playing through this season. "He'd been playing exceptionally well," admitted team manager Mike Scott of Burke's rejuvenation since joining Quins from Cardiff at the start of the season.

Better news from Harlequins concerns another Irish international Niall Woods, who appeared as a replacement for the final 13 minutes against Dax in his first outing for 14 months since tearing his cruciate knee ligaments. "He even created a try which he then had the pleasure of trying to convert from the touchline to win the game but just missed the posts," said Scott.