Springbok fly-half Handré Pollard is set to be out for an extended period after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while playing for French club Montpellier.
Pollard was stretchered off in the second half of Montpellier’s 41-17 defeat to Racing 92 in the French Top 14.
“Following the match last Friday evening between our Cistes and Racing 92 players at La Paris Défense Aréna, the club formalizes the absence for several months of Handré Pollard, victim of a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligaments,” the club said in a statement.
“We wish him a quick recovery,” it added.
Pollard’s injury is a blow for South Africa as he will definitely miss this year’s Rugby Championship. The tournament, which the Springboks won last year, is set to take place from November 7 to December 12 in Australia.
Pollard is the latest injury concern for the reigning World champions. Lock RG Snyman suffered a similar injury while playing for Irish side Munster last month, second-row forward Lood de Jager is nursing a shoulder injury sustained while playing for English side Sale and fellow lock Eben Etzebeth was hit by a rib injury while on duty for Toulon.
