Irish hooker Keith Wood is set for a sensational comeback from a rib injury for Harlequins' European Shield Final with French side Narbonne at Reading's Madejski Stadium later this month.
Wood damaged rib cartilages in Harlequins' final Zurich Premiership game against Leicester on April 14, which caused Harlequins chief executive Mark Evans to threaten the cancellation of their Shield semi-final against Newcastle because of his inability to field a fully fit and eligible hooker.
It was thought that Wood would have to face six weeks on the sidelines before the Lions tour because of the rib injury, calling into doubt his match fitness for such an intensive assignment against world champions Australia.
However, Wood has made significant progress over the past fortnight and has targeted the Shield showdown for an automatic place in next season's Heineken Cup as the right time to return to combative action.
Filed by Shane Murray
