Saracens seek to prop up front row

Saracens will be given until Friday to reinforce their sagging front row resources but they will not be allowed to prop up their European campaign with temporary transfers.

Any attempt by the English Premiership leaders to solve their problem, aggravated by the loss of Julian White, by borrowing a prop on a short-term contract will be refused. Cardiff and Ulster, Heineken Cup pool rivals, have already made abortive moves to import Southern Hemisphere players on a temporary basis. Cardiff were refused permission to borrow Springbok prop Os du Randt and Ulster were forced to cancel arrangements for hiring former Harlequins hooker Tom Murphy from the Australian Super 12 runners-up ACT Brumbies.

All 24 competing European Cup clubs are allowed to register four front row players, in addition to their 30-man squads, for emergency use. Pontypridd, for example, have taken the precaution of making room in their stand-by list for Mike Griffiths, the former Wales and Lions prop, who will be 38 this week.

'We understand their problem and will give them until Friday to register up to four extra front row forwards,' said a European Rugby Cup spokesman. 'They must have the appropriate documentation and the players concerned must be available for the whole competition, not a part of it.' Toulouse, the English club's first opponents in France on Saturday, will be without Emile Ntamack until the New Year. The tournament's record scorer with 19 tries dislocated a shoulder during the championship defeat in Dax.