Lions Tour: Dallaglio set to miss season

Lawrence Dallaglio has been ruled out of action for up to nine months after undergoing surgery on his injured knee.

The England and Wasps star went under the surgeons knife on Tuesday to repair the cruciate ligament injury that put him out of the Lions Tour of Australia.

Dallaglio will now miss England's November internationals, the Six Nations and the bulk of the Zurich Premiership season.

The news has come as a major blow to Wasps' director of rugby, Nigel Melville, who questioned whether the number eight should have gone on the tour of Australia in the first place.

Melville told the club's official website: "The Lions coaches medical team and insurers passed him fit to travel, but personally I would rather he had stayed at home.

"However, you can't stop a player going on a Lions Tour if he is passed fit.

"He'll now miss the November internationals, the Six Nations and most of our season, after only one mid-week game for the Lions.

"It's a massive blow, but these things happen in professional sport and we have to get on with planning for the new season."

Dallaglio is expected to make a statement on Tuesday to clarify the extent of his injury.