Melbourne winger Dom Shipperley has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2016 Super Rugby season with a knee injury.
Shipperley ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the Rebels’ 25-point loss to the Hurricanes at AAMI Park on Friday night, where he scored the opening try of the match.
He’ll undergo surgery and spend approximately six months in recovery before he resumes full training.
“We’re shattered for Dom, he’s been a consistent performer during the first half of the year for the Rebels,” General manager Baden Stephenson said.
“But unfortunately a contact injury has prematurely ended his Super Rugby season.”
The news comes as a massive blow for the Rebels, given the 25-year-old had been one of their best this season.
He was recently called up to an extended Australian squad for a training camp, and has played 19 games for the club since joining from the Queensland Reds in 2014.
In a further hit to the Rebels’ backs, the club has also confirmed Mitch Inman will be sidelined for 3-5 weeks due to the hand injury he sustained against the Waratahs.
Meanwhile, Colby Faingaa is due to make his return against the Cheetahs on Friday night after recovering from the elbow injury he suffered in round one.