Greening set for Wasps return

Phil Greening, the England and Lions hooker, is set to ease the mounting injury crisis at London Wasps.

Greening is due to be given the all-clear today to resume playing after injuring a knee during this year's Lions tour of Australia.

The latest injury blow concerned reserve hooker Dugald Macer, who injured his knee so severely playing at Leicester last Saturday that he is expected to miss the rest of the season.

It is perhaps a sign of Wasps' bad luck at the moment that Macer was dropped by his stretcher bearers as he came off the Leicester pitch - but suffered no additional injury.

Flanker Richard Birkett is also likely to miss the rest of the season.

The projected return of Greening, who has 23 caps, comes ahead of the match between Wasps and Zurich Premiership leaders Sale at Loftus Road next Sunday and after Wasps' 45-15 defeat at champions Leicester.

"It could be getting harder than ever at Leicester," said Wasps' director Nigel Melville.

"Another 10 clubs have still to go there and it will be interesting to see how they get on."