Wigan and Great Britain rugby league test winger Brian Carney, a target for the Irish Rugby Football Union, has been dealt a severe setback in his efforts to recover from a broken ankle.
Wigan Head Coach Mike Gregory said: "Brian had been making tremendous progress and we were even hoping that he had an outside chance of making the Challenge Cup Final.
"An X-ray today, however, has revealed that the bone has not reformed and he is likely to need another operation. He could be out for a further three months."