Exeter’s Ikitau out for up to three months with shoulder injury

Len Ikitau, an Australian centre from Exeter, is likely to miss three months due to a shoulder injury.

The 27-year-old is scheduled to have surgery for the concussion he sustained last week in the Six Nations against Saracens, and is likely to miss the rest of the tournament until March 31.

Ikitau made his first major summer signing appearance at Exeter earlier this year, signing a one-season deal with Sandy Park.

He played for the Wallabies in the summer rugby championship against the British and Irish Lions.

Ikitau scored his first try in Exeter’s victory earlier this month against the South African side Cheetahs, which was his fifth appearance in the Prem and European Challenge Cup.

The good news is that we can get him in for surgery fairly quickly, although it does mean he won’t play for a while over the holiday season and into the new year’s cup, according to Exeter’s rugby director, Rob Baxter, who posted on the club website.

Len has been playing out of his skin for us and was in excellent form, which is unfortunate. He deserves praise and apologie for both because he has contributed greatly to what we have accomplished this season.

However, it will give him a little break and give his body some time to recover and rejuvenate after a fairly long period of intense rugby.