The Wales star has been out of action since the Ospreys' Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final defeat to Gloucester in March, with speculation that he would quit over his injury nightmare dismissed by the player and club during the off-season.

"It's a difficult one because we can't get a proper diagnosis with Gav," director of coaching Scott Johnson told The Western Mail. "At the moment, everything that comes back is conflicting. We are still working through it with the medical team.

"I can't put any time-scale on his return at the moment because no-one can tell me. So I'm leaving that to the people that know better than me. We have just got to get the diagnosis right and everyone has got to get together. But you won't see him back until he's fit and ready to play."

"The Golden Lions Rugby Union confirms that it has a fixed term contract of employment with Jaque Fourie until 31 October 2010," the statement read. "The GLRU is not releasing Jaque Fourie from his contract and is looking forward to his return from the Springbok squad, joining the Lions for the latter part of the Currie Cup season.

"The GLRU confirms that until today they have not received any request from Western Province to enter into negotiations with Jaque Fourie. In terms of SARU and the International Rugby Boards (IRB) regulations, it is expressly prohibited to induce or attempt to induce any contract player who has a written agreement with a union, unless the prior written consent of that union has been obtained.

"Western Province is therefore inducing a breach of contract. The GLRU believes that rugby contracts between unions and players must be honored and respected. There should be no tolerance when it comes to contractual breaches, whether by other unions or the player."

After his disappointment at missing the cut for the British & Irish Lions tour, and then being deemed unfit upon his arrival as a replacement, some commentators had tipped Jones' Ospreys team-mate Alun-Wyn Jones as a possible replacement.

"It's something I certainly wouldn't give up," he told the BBC. "It would be someone else's opinion to say I am not good enough for the job or don't deserve it."

"You might have 30-35 per cent of the team with the players coming from Pacific Island nations and another 30-35 per cent may come from Australian players coming back from offshore," O'Neill told the Daily Telegraph. "It will be a bit of Heinz variety team with maybe some Argentinean players and some Japanese players."

"Part of the agreement was that he passed a medical and a fitness test," Walkinshaw told the Gloucester Citizen. "He couldn't do the fitness test so he couldn't pass the medical. He failed the medical so we didn't sign him, simple as that. It was a new injury not linked to any of his old knee problems. He was going to require surgery so we have decided not to sign him."

In positive news for the club, winger Lesley Vainikolo will make his playing return from injury in Andy Hazell and Lee Mears' testimonial match at Kingsholm on Saturday

Mulipola, 26, was censured by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) this week following a meeting attended by NZRU general manager professional rugby, Neil Sorensen, and Highlanders management. It related to an alleged incident after which Mulipola was charged with assault with intent to injure. The matter is currently before the courts.