Leicester Tigers captain Ollie Chessum is set to undergo shoulder surgery that will rule him out for the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old, who was granted special permission to return early from Lions duty, suffered the injury during training this week.
Chessum had been cleared to play against Harlequins on Saturday, but the setback means he will now miss the rest of the campaign. The Tigers confirmed the news on Friday, stating that the surgery is necessary to repair the damage.
Chessum's absence is a major blow for Leicester, who have already lost several senior players in the off-season. The forward had been a key figure in the squad, having started 16 games last season despite injury struggles.
Leicester head coach Michael Cheika expressed his disappointment, saying the team will rally around the loss. The Tigers are already without fly-half AJ McGinty, who is sidelined for nine months with an Achilles injury.
