James set to replace Skrela as Clermont out-half

Clermont Auvergne’s French international out-half, David Skrela, will miss Sunday’s Heineken Cupsemi-final against Leinster.

The former Toulouse player sustained a thigh injury in the opening half of Clermont’s quarter-final win against Saracens at Vicarage Road just over two weeks ago and he underwent surgery yesterday to rectify theproblem.

Skrela, a Heineken Cup winner in 2010, is likely to be sidelined for several weeks which would rule him out of the May 19 decider if Clermont advance.