Ireland wing Denis Hickie has ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be sent home from the World Cup, coach Eddie O'Sullivan said today.
Hickie suffered the injury late in the first half of the pool A match against Australia at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium yesterday.
The defending champions Australia won the match 17-16 although both sides advanced to the quarter-finals.
"It's bad news for Denis he has a ruptured Achilles tendon and will be flying home tomorrow (Monday)," O'Sullivan told reporters at a news conference.
"He will need an immediate operation. I'm no doctor, but with the operation he could be out for six months. It is worse than a broken leg."
Flanker Alan Quinlan, who suffered a dislocated shoulder against Argentina in Adelaide last week, will also return home on Monday.
O'Sullivan said Hickie would be replaced by Ulster's Tyrone Howe, who was also a late injury replacement on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2001.
Ireland meet pool B winners France in a quarter-final in Melbourne on November 9th.