Rugby:Leicester have confirmed that Toby Flood will miss next weekend's Heineken Cup trip to Belfast as the injury problems continue to mount for the English side. Leicester are already without centre Manu Tuilagi and second row Louis Deacon for the pivotal Heineken Cup clash against Ulster.

Flood suffered ligament damage against Sale last weekend and he is set to be sidelined for four to six weeks, which also rules him out of the start of England’s Six Nations campaign.

Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill told the Leicester Mercury: “He (Flood) hurt his knee on Sunday and we initially thought it was just like a dead leg but it swelled up overnight and he went to see a specialist to determine the exact nature of the injury.

“It turns out that he has tweaked his ligaments and is likely to be out for four to six weeks, which is not as bad as we feared at one stage. But it still rules him out of the Wasps and Ulster games, which is not great after Manu Tuilagi and Louis Deacon’s recent injuries.”

Flood’s absence could open the way for former Munster outhalf Jeremy Staunton to fill in at Ravenhill with Billy Twelvetrees another option for Cockerill.

Harlequins, meanwhile, have escaped further sanction over incidents that took place in their technical area during their Heineken Cup victory in Toulouse last month.

Quins flanker Will Skinner was sent off during the closing stages of the 31-24 victory by Irish referee Alain Rolland as, after being substituted earlier in the game, he prevented Toulouse from taking a quick throw as they desperately sought a late score.

Skinner was subsequently handed a two-week ban for “an act contrary to good sportsmanship”, but a European Rugby Cup investigation into other incidents in the Harlequins’ technical area during the game decided that no further punishment was required after the club took internal disciplinary action over the matter.

But Harlequins have been warned over the future conduct of their staff and players in and around the technical area.