Irish hit by treble injury blow

London Irish's European qualification hopes are being threatened by a front-row injury crisis that resulted in the rare sight of uncontested scrums in a 15-15 draw against Harlequins at the Madejski Stadium yesterday.

Prop Rob Hardwick was knocked unconscious making a tackle in the third minute, coming round just in time to walk unsteadily from the field alongside foot injury victim and fellow prop Neal Hatley. Hooker Naka Drotske then limped off on the hour with a calf injury.

Already out for up to another month is Pierre Durant, another prop, but - for now - both Irish and Quins remain locked together at the head of a remarkable logjam in the middle of the Zurich Premiership table.

With Heineken Cup places at stake for teams finishing in fourth and fifth place, Irish and Harlequins lie joint fifth with Sale, who lost at Bath on Saturday. With three games left of the regular season there are eight points separating the six teams occupying positions fifth to tenth.

Newcastle and Leicester also drew yesterday, 25-25, to underline just how tight everything is. At the top, London Wasps confirmed they are the main challengers to Bath by trouncing Northampton 31-5 at High Wycombe.

A 79th-minute try by Simon Keogh seemed to have earned a tenacious victory for Harlequins - especially when Andy Dunne converted from near the touchline.