Australia centre Len Ikitau could be out of action for at least three months after injuring his shoulder playing for Exeter, the English Prem club announced Friday.
He is set to undergo surgery for an injury suffered in last week's win over Saracens, and is now likely to be sidelined until the end of the Six Nations in March.
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Ikitau joined Exeter on a one-season deal after impressing for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions earlier this year.
The 27-year-old has formed an effective midfield partnership with England centre Henry Slade that has helped Exeter into second place in the Prem.
Ikitau has made five appearances for Exeter in the Prem and Challenge Cup, scoring his first try for the Chiefs in their win over South African side Cheetahs earlier this month.
“In a tackle against Saracens, Len has picked up the injury and it’s going to require surgery. The good news is that we can get him in for the operation pretty quickly, though unfortunately it does mean he will miss the block of games over the festive period and into the cup competitions in the new year," Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter told the club's website.
“We’re looking at him being back fully fit and ready to play the remainder of the season post the Prem Rugby Cup block which overlaps with the Guinness Six Nations.
“It’s very unfortunate for Len, who has been playing out of his skin for us and was in outstanding form. It’s a shame for him and a shame for us because he’s been an important part of what we’ve achieved so far this season.
“However, after a pretty long period of quite intense rugby, it will give him a bit of a break and give his body plenty of time to recover and refresh.
"Hopefully, he can have a big end of the season impact for us, and we’ll remain in contention to be challenging for some success or silverware.”
