Leeds hooker seeks neck diagnosis

Leeds Carnegie hooker Rob Rawlinson will see a specialist on Friday regarding his niggling neck injury.

The 33-year-old has missed the last three games due to the problem.

"Rob can run around and all that, but the problem is with a nerve that is creating irritation," director of rugby Andy Key told BBC Radio Leeds.

"We have to be clinically safe. What we are doing is taking professional advice and hopefully that shows no problems and we can move him on then."

Leeds are continuing to monitor the fitness of prop Gareth Hardy, number eight Alfie To'oala and centre Seru Rabeni ahead of Sunday's LV= Cup clash with Leicester Tigers at Headingley.

The trio were injured during Leeds' 15-9 Premiership win over Wasps at Adams Park, with Rabeni damaging a leg muscle in the warm-up.

Key explained: "We hope Rabeni's injury is not too serious, but groin injuries can be funny ones. If Seru had played in the match there is a danger he would have ripped the adductor muscle and then it's even more serious and we were right not to play him.

"The injuries we've picked up are mainly soft tissue ones and on the face of it Alfie's leg injury looks the worse as he was very sore.

"But like most of the injuries you pick up you have to give it 48 hours before being able to judge the full extent of the problem.

"So we'll keep our fingers crossed all those injuries are not to bad and they'll all be in the hunt for the weekend."

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