Cape Town - The injury news on Monday was not good for Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen.
Hurt in the first minute of Saturday's 38-3 loss to Ireland in Dublin, Oosthuizen left the field on a stretcher while clutching his knee and the look on his face suggested it was serious.
Those fears were confirmed on Monday when it was revealed that Oosthuizen had torn both his ACL and MCL ligaments.
That is about as bad as a knee injury can be, and the 28-year-old now faces an extended period on the sidelines.
It is also bad news for the Sharks, who will now start the 2018 Super Rugby season without their Player of the Year.
Oosthuizen is currently on his way back to South Africa where he will undergo surgery.
A replacement for Oosthuizen has not yet been named.