Ireland and Leinster back Fergus McFadden has been ruled out for the rest of the season as he will undergo surgery to his fractured right thumb on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old was replaced after an hour of Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Toulon in Marseille after picking up the injury going for a high ball with fullback Leigh Halfpenny.
It’s the second time this season that McFadden will undergo surgery on the thumb after also suffering an injury in Pro 12 home win over the Ospreys at the end of November.
McFadden’s stop-start season has also seen him miss five matches with an ankle injury, while a rib cartilage injury saw him miss out on Ireland’s Six Nations-winning campaign. He also suffered a concussion in the Champions Cup quarter-final against Bath.
His latest injury will see him sidelines for eight weeks, although he will be fit in time for the start of Ireland’s World Cup build-up.
McFadden was the only serious injury picked up by a Leinster player at the weekend, with the province also confirming that Australian secondrow Kane Douglas will undergo back surgery on Thursday that will keep him out for up to three months.
Backrow Shane Jennings is still undergoing return to play protocols, while Tom Denton, who was ruled out of the Toulon game with a bicep strain, will be assessed by medical staff on Tuesday.
Kevin McLaughlin continues his recovery from shoulder reconstruction and will take part in further contact work during training this week with a view to a return before the end of the season.
Leinster are next in action in a sold-out Pro 12 clash against Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday.
