Desperate Quins

Harlequins are to set to buy in a short-term replacement for lock Simon Miall, who will miss the rest of the season after undergoing extensive knee surgery yesterday.

Top of the table Quins are down to just two fit locks - Jim Evans and Bill Davison - following the loss of Miall who ruptured a tendon below his knee and damaged the entire cartilage in a freak accident during the 15-10 win over London Irish. The operation lasted more than two and half hours.

Miall was hurt while being lifted at the line-out when he struck team-mate Jon Dawson, the man applying the elevation. "It's a freak injury," said team manager Mike Scott. "We are down to our last two locks and if anything happens to them then it's a disaster. That's why we are going to look into the possibility of bringing someone in on a short-term contract."

Karl Rudzki, another of Quins' injured locks could be back in three weeks, but that leaves the squad desperately short of cover for the next three league matches against Saracens, Newcastle and Gloucester. Quins will scour the Southern Hemisphere for forwards who are willing to come on a short-term deal.

On top of the Miall setback, Quins are also waiting to discover if hooker Ace Tiatia's disciplinary problems will see him banned for a tackle that left Irish centre Nick Greenstock, a former Quins player, with a broken shoulder. The Rugby Football Union's citing officer will study the match video today and decide if any action is warranted.

Meanwhile, champions London Wasps are in for a tough time in training following their 27-17 loss at Northampton which led to Warren Gatland delivering a damning verdict on hookers Trevor Loeta and Jonny Barrett . Both were described after the defeat as being "crap" by Gatland who today stood by that verdict.

"They are professional players who have time to do all the practise on line out throwing they need and we lost too many against Northampton," said Gatland. "Yes I did describe Trevor as crap but Jonny was also crap at throwing the ball in and keeping his discipline when he came on."