Leinster Rugby will have to play the remainder of the season without centre Brian O'Driscoll.
The Ireland captain will undergo surgery next week to correct a trapped nerve in his shoulder.
The operation is expected to keep the 32-year-old out of action for at least six months.
As a result, O'Driscoll will miss Leinster's Heineken Cup pool games and will also play no part for Ireland in their Six Nations campaign at the start of next year.
