Connacht Rugby stalwart Mark McHugh will miss at least the Pool stages of the new look European Challenge Cup after suffering a serious knee injury in Friday night's defeat of Leicester Tigers in the provinces' final pre-season friendly.
The experienced centre received the injury when tackled as he cleared his lines in the closing minutes of the game. The injury has been diagnosed as severed lateral knee ligaments and the 27-year-old is set to undergo surgery this week. McHugh is expected to be out for at least five months
McHugh will be hoping that Connacht can build on last season's run to the semi-finals and once again make it through to the business end of the tournament with the quarter-finals set for the weekend of Friday 31 March.
Connacht will also be without veteran Eric Elwood in their Pool 5 European Challenge Cup campaign, the out-half has retired as a player and has joined Michael Bradley as Assistant Coach to the province.
