Cape Town - France
and Clermont wing Noa Nakaitaci is set for a long spell on the
sidelines after rupturing ligaments against Toulon on Sunday.
Nakaitaci was Clermont's first try scorer in the European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final win before heading off in the second half, with news emerging on Monday that he has ruptured his ACL.
Given the months left in the season and with France's tour to South Africa coming up in June, Nakaitaci will miss both Clermont's run-in for the Top 14 and European Rugby Champions Cup as well as the Test series against South Africa.
The 26-year-old featured heavily for France during the Six Nations and will be sorely missed by his club, despite the options of Nick Abendanon, David Strettle, Adrien Planté and Isaia Toeava.
Clermont are set to take on Leinster in the European Rugby Champions Cup semi-finals later this month.