Gardiner goes in to contact shortly before getting injured

Scarlets prop Simon Gardiner is to have a scan on his knee injury after he was stretchered off in the region's 37-5 Heineken Cup defeat in Perpignan.

Gardiner is the Scarlets fourth injured tight-head as Rhys Thomas, Deacon Manu and Peter Edwards are all sidelined.

But Nigel Davies hopes his prop crisis might be at an end as Thomas may play in a LV= Cup game against Saracens.

"Rhys Thomas is not very far from playing and would probably have taken part in the LV= game," said Davies.

"Phil John can go there [tight-head]. And the other two boys have had their casts off so they are not that far away so hopefully he cavalry will come in."

Welsh international prop Thomas has a leg injury while coach Davies' other two specialist tight-heads Edwards and Manu both suffered broken arms in the same game against Leinster in November.

The prop situation had got so bad before Christmas, Davies had considered asking Heineken Cup organisers European Rugby Cup for special dispensation to bring in two players.

Davies was without three tight-head props after Edwards and Manu both suffered broken arms in the Magners League draw with 17-17 draw with Leinster, to add to Thomas's fractured leg.

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