Leinster and Ireland have been dealt a major blow with the news that Sean O'Brien is out for up to six months.
The Leinster back row is having shoulder reconstruction surgery tomorrow on the same injury that ruled him out for a big chunk of last season.
It is the second operation on his shoulder, the first was in January of this year to reinforce a dislocated joint sustained in December.
That, and an ankle injury, had ruled him out of late and the latest operation will mean he misses out on Ireland's November Tests against South Africa, Georgia and Australia and most likely their Six Nations campaign.