RUGBY:TOMMY BOWE will see a specialist early next week in the hope of clearing up a knee problem that has been bothering him for several weeks and threatens to upset his plans for the beginning of the Six Nations Championship. The Ireland and Ospreys winger has been pulled out of today's Heineken Cup game against Toulon at the Liberty Stadium by the Ospreys medical team.

Ospreys released a statement saying they had withdrawn Bowe pending further investigation by a knee specialist. Following a scan earlier this week an issue with Bowe’s knee arose which the medical staff at the club believe could “potentially develop into something problematic”.

“We have notified the Irish medical team and following further investigations next week, we should be able to establish the most appropriate course of treatment for the problem and to confirm whether it will interfere with Tommy’s involvement in the Six Nations with Ireland,” said the Ospreys statement.

Bowe’s agent, the former Ulster player Ryan Constable, said Bowe has been carrying the injury for the last couple of weeks but only recently has it prevented him from playing.

“It has been strapped for the last couple of weeks but he’s been plodding away with it,” said Constable. “Maybe it just needs rest but Ospreys are looking for confirmation from a specialist and he’s going to do that at the beginning of next week. I think by close of business on Wednesday we should have a good idea of what is going on with him.”

Ireland open their Six Nations campaign with an away match against Italy on February 5th in Stadio Flaminio.