James Haskell, the London Wasps back-row forward who was injured during England’s victory over France in Paris on Saturday, will miss his club’s Guinness Premiership match with Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Friday but hopes to return for the next round of the RBS Six Nations Championship eight days later.

The 22-year-old damaged the posterior capsule of his left ankle at the Stade de France but, with intensive rehabilitation, is optimistic that he will be available for selection by England against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday week.

Bath, who will lose Steve Borthwick, the England lock, to Saracens at the end of the season, have bolstered their second row for a second time in five days. Having agreed terms with Stuart Hooper, the Leeds Carnegie captain, they will take Justin Harrison, the former Australia lock, to the Recreation Ground on a one-year contract.

Harrison, 33, joins the exodus from Ulster, who have lost Tommy Bowe to the Ospreys, Neil Best and Roger Wilson to Northampton and Simon Best to retirement enforced through injury.

It may be only one match, but Argentina, who operate off so limited an international fixture list, hope to accept a game in August against South Africa, the World Cup holders, which has been offered to celebrate the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa.

Argentina’s place in the calendar was the subject of intense debate during the IRB conference in Woking, Surrey, last November and various schemes have been proposed to give them regular matches against the southern-hemisphere powers. The game may hinge upon the release of those Argentina players based with European clubs, who will have begun pre-season training when the match is due to be played, between August 2 and 9.

The countries met in the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup, South Africa winning 37-13 against an Argentina team who froze on the big occasion. However, the Pumas recovered to win the bronze medal, beating France to occupy third place in the IRB rankings behind South Africa and New Zealand.

Schalk Burger, the Springboks flanker, has been suspended for a fortnight after abusing a match official during the Super 14 game last weekend between the Stormers, his franchise, and the Natal Sharks. Burger was found guilty of “acting in a manner contrary to good sportsmanship” by making an offensive gesture after being sent to the sin-bin.