Gloucester close in on Argentinian Roncero

Gloucester are negotiating a two-year-deal with the Argentinian prop Rodrigo Roncero, a doctor who plays his club rugby for Deportiva Francesa in Buenos Aires.

The 25-year-old has been picked out by Nigel Melville as the ideal replacement for the Italian prop Federico Pucciarello, who is going to France to join Bourgoin. He is expected to sign within 24 hours for his first taste of professional rugby.

Melville, Gloucester's director of rugby, has been impressed with Roncero, who paid his own way out to South Africa for a trial during the club's pre-season tour.

Saracens opened their pre-season tour of Japan with a 66-12 victory over Sanix in Fukuoka.

The Premiership club scored nine tries, with Tom Shanklin, Tony Roques and Richard Haughton all claiming doubles, while two new signings – the international forwards Christian Califano and Craig Quinnell – both made appearances.

The Cardiff hooker Andrew Lewis will miss the start of the Celtic League season after suffering an eye injury during a pre-season friendly.

The Welsh international was hurt against Bourgoin during a forward mêlée which ended with the French visitors' lock Gerald Orsoni being sent off by Nigel Whitehouse.

Lewis, who was advised yesterday to avoid contact training for three weeks, will miss Cardiff's opening games against Glasgow and Connacht and an Arms Park friendly with Bath next Saturday.

The South Africa captain Corne Krige, 27, is to undergo X-rays to determine the extent of the damage to his injured sternum.

The flanker came off just after half-time during the Tri-Nations Test against Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday after aggravating an injury sustained in Brisbane a fortnight ago.