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.

That leaves Australian Brock James to fill the number 10 jersey. The Australian’s natural ability is unquestioned and he has been a pivotal player for the 2010 French champions but he has been prone to bad days with the boot and his litany of missed kicks allowed Leinster edge through by a point when these sides met in an RDS quarter-final two years ago.

The news from France is better regarding flanker Julien Bardy who is expected to be in the reckoning for a place in the squad of 23 although the Portuguese international will not start.