Ireland captain Caelan Doris's summer with the British & Irish Lions is in doubt after club side Leinster confirmed on Monday he will have shoulder surgery this week.
Sources have told ESPN that Doris will miss the rest of the URC season, and that he will have surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Andy Farrell will still include him in his Lions squad, which will be named on Thursday.
Prior to the injury, No. 8 Doris was a strong contender to captain the Lions on their tour of Australia this year.
However, Leinster confirmed the 27-year-old requires surgery after sustaining an injury against Northampton Saints on Saturday.
"The full extent of the injury, and implications for the summer, won't be known until after the procedure," the club said in a statement.
Information from ESPN's Tom Hamilton contributed to this story.
