ANDY FARRELL will almost certainly miss Saracens' Guinness Premiership curtain-raiser with Wasps at Twickenham next week, after being ruled out of tomorrow's friendly with Harlequins at Harpenden Rugby Club.

The former Rugby League star had been expected to make his long-awaited debut in last Saturday's friendly at Bedford, but missed out because of a toe injury.

And, although Saracens' director of rugby, Steve Diamond, had indicated that Farrell would play against Harlequins, the ex-Wigan man has not trained all week and is to be given at least one more week to recover.

Farrell was obviously frustrated at missing out after bruising the bone in his big toe in a recent friendly possibles v probables' match.

"I don't know how I did it but the running about on it afterwards for 20 minutes irritated the joint. You've got just got to be careful with these types of things. Hopefully it will settle down quickly.

"There is no point playing, irritating it and letting it be a pain for the rest of the season.

"It's shame as I was looking forward to finding what union is all about," said Farrell.

Although Farrell has not been officially ruled out of the London Double Header, it is unthinkable that Diamond would plunge a player who has not touched a rugby ball in a competitive match since November, straight into what is sure to be a fiery Twickenham encounter.

Farrell had previously been recovering from a knee cartilage operation at the turn of the year but had participated in pre-season training.