Wasps second row Simon Shaw has been given the green light to play in Sunday's Heineken European Cup semi-final showdown with Munster.
The England forward, a key component of the Wasps pack, underwent a scan yesterday after sustaining an injury while on English Premiership duty against Leeds last weekend.
Shaw started the game on the bench but came on midway through the second half when the match was evenly balanced, eventually helping his side to a crucial 11-7 victory at Headingley.
The 30-year-old's injury was initially thought to be little more than bruised ribs but his continued discomfort after the game - he played on until the final whistle - raised fears he might have damaged his spleen.
But the results of yesterday's scan have erased doubts over his fitness and he is available for the trip to Dublin.
"Losing Simon would have been a huge blow for us so we're delighted that he's been given the all-clear. He's a crucial part of the team," said Wasps director of rugby Warren Gatland.
Although not the greatest lineout operator in English rugby, at 6ft 9ins and 19st Shaw provides the Premiership champions' all-conquering pack with a huge physical presence.
Harlequins hooker Tani Fuga will miss the rest of this season after being banned for stamping on Connacht's Damien Browne during the Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final first leg last Sunday week.
The 30-year-old Samoan international was cited by Connacht following the incident during Quins' 31-22 victory. And he received a seven-week suspension following a disciplinary hearing in Dublin yesterday.
The ban will not expire until June 9th, ruling Fuga out of next Sunday's return encounter at the Sportsground and a potential Parker Pen Cup final appointment with Bath or Montferrand on May 22th.
It also gives Harlequins problems in the hooking position, because Fuga's obvious replacement - fellow Samoan Ace Tiatia - is already sidelined for several weeks with an ankle injury.
James Hayter is the likely starter against Connacht, with academy prospect Cameron Dott on the bench, although Quins could consider prop Ceri Jones as a possible alternative.
Fuga has 72 hours to lodge an appeal against the decision.
Meanwhile, England's Tony Spreadbury and France's Joel Jutge will referee Ireland's summer Tests against South Africa on June 12th and 19th, respectively.
The appointments were announced as 16 referees were yesterday named on the International Rugby Board's A panel for Tests worldwide between May and August this year.
The A panel includes Irish trio Alain Rolland, Donal Courtney and Alan Lewis, the English pair of Chris White and Tony Spreadbury and Welshman Nigel Williams. Rolland has been given the plum Tri-Nations fixture of New Zealand versus Australia on July 17th.
IRB A PANEL: Andrew Cole (Australia), Donal Courtney (Ireland), Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Joel Jutge (France), Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand), Alain Rolland (Ireland), Tony Spreadbury (England), Steve Walsh (New Zealand), Andre Watson (South Africa), Chris White (England), Nigel Williams (Wales), Scott Young (Australia).
MAIN APPOINTMENTS: May 22, Scotland v Barbarians (Jutge); May 26, Wales v Barbarians (Rob Dickson, Scotland); May 30, England v Barbarians (Nigel Whitehouse, Wales). June 4, Samoa v Scotland (Kelvin Deaker, New Zealand); June 12, South Africa v Ireland (Spreadbury), Argentina v Wales (Courtney), New Zealand v England (Kaplan); June 13, Australia v Scotland (Honiss); June 19, Australia v Scotland (Lawrence), Argentina v Wales (Lewis), South Africa v Ireland (Jutge), New Zealand v England (Williams); June 26, Australia v England (O'Brien), South Africa v Wales (Walsh).
TRI-NATIONS: July 17, New Zealand v Australia (Rolland); July 24, New Zealand v South Africa (Cole); July 31, Australia v South Africa (White); August 7, Australia v New Zealand (Kaplan); August 14, South Africa v New Zealand (Williams); August 21, South Africa v Australia (O'Brien).
