The Australian Rugby Union is set to soften Queensland's troubling loss of in-form flanker Beau Robinson by recalling Reds rookie Liam Gill from the world under-20 tournament in Italy.

In a major blow to the Reds, Robinson is in doubt for the rest of the Super Rugby season after being booked in for arthroscopic surgery on the elbow dislocated in Sunday's 17-16 triumph over the Crusaders.

Queensland still hold hope the ball-scavenger could return before the playoffs in four weeks, with scans suggesting he faces a best-case scenario of three to five weeks out.

But with the other two players the Reds have used at No.7 this year, Gill and Ed Quirk, overseas with the Australian under-20s, they're desperate to have specialist open-side cover until the workaholic Robinson returns.

Gill and Quirk flew out just before Sunday's kick-off and the chances are one will get straight back on a plane home to line up against the Brumbies on Saturday night.

The national body was waiting until the youngsters landed in London late Monday before holding discussions with coach David Nucifora but the ARU did suggest they were prepared to help.

"We said at the moment of selection that we would consider assisting any province that struck injury problems," an ARU spokesman told AAP.

While just 18, Gill is seen as a star of the future and was groomed for the No.7 jersey earlier in the season when selected behind Robinson on the bench for six matches.

The taller Quirk, who is more suited to blind-side flanker, started the first two rounds in the role before NSW Waratahs discard Robinson proved a revelation to put himself in Wallabies contention.

Even if one of the two contracted youngsters return in time they're no certainties to start against the Brumbies as they would only make it back for one training session.

The versatile Jake Schatz, 20, played strongly off the bench for the last 32 minutes against the Crusaders and would also deserve a start.

Despite the brutal nature of Sunday's win, Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said he was reluctant to rest any players at the business end of the season.

McKenzie warned Queensland faced a difficult time against the struggling 13th-placed Brumbies.

He expects ACT-based Wallabies Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, Matt Giteau, Mark Chisholm and Adam Ashley-Cooper to all respond to national coach Robbie Deans' call to Brumbies, Force and Rebels players to improve their selection prospects.

"Those teams have three games left to push their claims so you expect to see the Brumbies pushing their claims for a strong finish to be in World Cup contention," McKenzie said.

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