no, Hape has not been signed on a short term contract for the first half of the season, he's there for the entire season at least, it's not at all a medical joker
also I don't think he has been signed as cover for Fernández, I think he has been signed as first choice, if they wanted to sign somebody as cover they wouldn't have bothered with somebody who would have cost as much as somebody like Hape, they would have signed somebody more along the lines of Paul Bosch who came in as World Cup cover
still no idea though why they splashed the cash for an average player, who's spent a season mostly injured, is in his thirties, and would cost a fair amount as he was on contract with London Irish and being an international ups his salary demands
as I said before I shouldn't think they would have bothered paying out his contract and his wage demands for him to be second choice, he will most likely be rotated with Fernández with Hape playing the big matches ... until he gets injured or they realise he's isn't that great