Ireland flanker and Llanelli Scarlets captain Simon Easterby will miss the festive rugby schedule in the Celtic League after undergoing minor surgery on his knee.

The 31-year-old opted to have an operation to clean out his knee after last week suffering a recurrence of the injury he sustained during the November internationals.

Easterby sustained the damage in the final international match at Lansdowne Road, the Pacific Islanders game.

Easterby will miss the Welsh derbies against the Dragons (December 22nd), Ospreys (December 26th) and Cardiff Blues (January 1st), and the trip to Edinburgh (January 5th). The influential flanker could also miss the penultimate European Cup group match against Ulster at Ravenhill on January 13th.