Leicester Tigers' fingers crossed after Jeremy Staunton injury scare
The 29-year-old Irish international has been receiving treatment for a niggling knee injury recently and handed over kicking duties to Billy Twelvetrees last week against Ospreys to protect his leg.
When he left the field, following treatment, on the arms of two of the medical staff at the Stadio Zaffanella early in the second half of Tigers' 46-11 Pool Three Heineken win, it looked like the club's only fit fly-half would be joining Sam Vesty (hamstring injury) and Toby Flood (Achilles) on the sidelines.
But head coach Richard Cockerill allayed any fears by saying that Staunton had merely taken a blow to the shin and was having no more than ice treatment as they left the ground.
"Jeremy has a bang on his knee and he got a whack on his shin during the first half as well," said Cockerill. "We are looking after him. He will be fine but he has played every game at fly-half this season with Toby and Sam being out."
Tigers' problems among their back division are still so serious that they included hooker Tom Youngs on their bench as a converted centre to supply three-quarter back-up if needed.
Missing from the win in Italy on Saturday were a full contingent of backs with 189 international caps between them – Harry Ellis, Sam Vesty, Toby Flood, Aaron Mauger, Dan Hipkiss, Alesana Tuilagi and Geordan Murphy.
Tigers have been linked with their former centre Ollie Smith, who is out of favour at Montpellier, and former Australia winger Lote Tuquiri in a bid to help the situation.
Any potential move for Smith looks unlikely because Montpellier want a fee to get the 27-year-old out of the second year of his contract and Tigers are short of petty cash.
If Tigers expressed an interest in signing Tuqiri, 30, he would arrive on a short-term deal until the end of the season, providing they could beat off interest from several other clubs who are after his services.
His wages could be paid for out of an injury dispensation rule in the current wage cap agreement, which would allow the club to spend extra money if one of their players is out for 12 weeks or more. Murphy is expected to be out of action for four months after having surgery on a dislocated shoulder.
Cockerill would not be drawn and said of the situation: "There are players out there and they get touted to us all of the time because we are a big club."
Conjecture may dominate the headlines but Cockerill has to deal with what he has at his disposal and the 38-year-old said he was satisfied with a seven-try show in Viadana that did not really get going until the final quarter.
He added: "Potentially we have some players coming soon but we have to get on with what is here. We had only 26 players fit this weekend and one of our replacements was a hooker who we have converted back to a centre (Tom Youngs). These are exceptional circumstances with our injury list.
"Viadana made us work very hard and seven tries was fair reward in the end.
"It is also hard to motivate yourself after a game like the draw with the Ospreys.
"We weren't as accurate as we could have been but we have scored 11 tries in two (Pool Three) games now and we have eight points. That's okay.
"Clermont scored five tries against them at home last week so we must have done some good things. We are stretched to the limit and it was a good return.
"The Italian sides are easier to play against for obvious reasons but any side that comes here should expect a very physical game."
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