Springbok lock Lood de Jager is set to undergo surgery and faces up to six months on the sidelines.

De Jager injured his troublesome shoulder playing for the Sale Sharks against Leicester Tigers in the English Premiership.

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond revealed afterwards that De Jager had bent the pins in his shoulder.

De Jager's Sale debut had had earlier been delayed because of the shoulder injury suffered in the Rugby World Cup final against England.

"It's not great news on Lood," Diamond was quoted as saying by the Planet Rugby website. "He's going to have surgery and it will probably be longer (than last time). It is probably going to be a rebuild so will be five to six months."

De Jager's injury is the third suffered by a Springbok lock in recent times, with RG Snyman suffering a devastating knee injury playing for Munster in the PRO14 and Eben Etzebeth injuring his ribs playing for Toulon in the French Top 14.

The Springboks will also be without star flyhalf Handre Pollard for the Rugby Championship after he also tore his ACL ligament while playing for Montpellier in the Top 14 last weekend.

- Compiled by Sport24 staff