Cape Town - French Top 14 club, Toulon, are considering replacing the injured Craig Burden with Cheetahs hooker Ryno Barnes, Netwerk24 reports.
Burden suffered a chest muscle injury earlier this month, and will likely be out of action for four to five months.
According to reports in France, Toulon have already made an approach for Samoan hooker Mahonri Schwalger, who featured for the Chiefs in Super Rugby over the past few seasons.
However, concerns remain over problems with Schwalger's back.
Should Schwalger fail his medical then Barnes would likely join up with Toulon later this week as a medical joker, with the possibility that he might return to the Cheetahs prior to the 2015 Super Rugby season.
Barnes could become the seventh South African in Toulon's squad. The others are Burden, Bakkies Botha, Michael Claassens, Bryan Habana, Juan Smith and Gerhard Vosloo.
Burden suffered a chest muscle injury earlier this month, and will likely be out of action for four to five months.
According to reports in France, Toulon have already made an approach for Samoan hooker Mahonri Schwalger, who featured for the Chiefs in Super Rugby over the past few seasons.
However, concerns remain over problems with Schwalger's back.
Should Schwalger fail his medical then Barnes would likely join up with Toulon later this week as a medical joker, with the possibility that he might return to the Cheetahs prior to the 2015 Super Rugby season.
Barnes could become the seventh South African in Toulon's squad. The others are Burden, Bakkies Botha, Michael Claassens, Bryan Habana, Juan Smith and Gerhard Vosloo.