Rebels utility Kurtley Beale has been ruled out of the last two games of the Super Rugby season after pulling up sore from last Friday’s loss to Queensland.

Melbourne’s medical staff on Tuesday said Beale wouldn’t be joining his teammates in South Africa for games against the Lions and Stormers after previously saying he was suffering “soreness” following the 32-17 loss to the Reds.

The Wallabies fullback went into the clash against the defending Super Rugby champions with bruised ribs suffered during the third Test against Wales in Sydney in his first match back from shoulder surgery.

Beale’s operation at the start of June forced the 23-year-old to miss one Super Rugby game, the one-off Test against Scotland and the first two clashes with Wales.

Fellow Wallaby James O’Connor was also missing from the 25-player Rebels squad which flew to South Africa on Sunday after straining his hamstring.

James Hilgendorf is most likely to regain the No.10 jersey against the Lions in Johannesburg on Sunday.