Rebels and Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale has been ruled out of Super Rugby for up to a month due to a hand injury.
rugbyweek
Beale had a scan on Monday morning which revealed a fracture in his third metacarpal on his left hand, and he will have surgery within 24 hours.
Beale was already playing Super Rugby with an injured left shoulder but he wanted to hold off on having surgery until the end of the season.
The fullback wants to play against the British and Irish Lions and did not want to risk being left out due to surgery complications.
Beal injured his hand playing against the Waratahs on Friday.
The Rebels have also revealed that Cooper Vuna is around two weeks away from his return from a shoulder blade fracture.
Over the coming weeks the Rebels will get a number of players back from injury including Kimami Sitauti (broken leg three weeks), Jason Woodward (ruptured finger tendon one week) , Chris Thomson (lateral ligament one week) and Ged Robinson.
The Rebels are however unsure whether captain Gareth Delve will return from his shoulder injury which was expected to keep him out for one week.
The Rebels play the Reds this week who they have never beaten and this will be first match Wallaby Scott Higginbotham will play against his former Club.
James O’Connor will play his 50th Super Rugby match this Friday at only 22 years of age, and against his good friend Quade Cooper.