Montpellier coach: Reinach flying home to SA for operation

South African World Cup winner Cobus Reinach will not play again this season due to a shoulder injury, dealing a blow to his Top 14 club Montpellier's hopes of a European Champions Cup and domestic double.

The 32-year-old scrumhalf suffered the injury a fortnight ago in the 40-26 Champions Cup last 16 first leg win over English champions Harlequins.

"Cobus will undergo an operation on his shoulder on Wednesday in South Africa," said Montpellier head coach Philippe Saint-Andre.

"His season is over."

The 12-times capped Reinach has been a key player this season, scoring seven tries in 14 league matches, and last month extended his contract with Montpellier for two years to 2025.

Reinach joined the French club in 2020 from Northampton and quickly established himself as the starting scrumhalf in Saint-Andre's team ahead of Benoit Paillaugue and Georgian Gela Aprasidze.

Reinach's injury means he will miss the Springboks' three-Test series against Wales in July.

Montpellier remain top of the Top 14 despite losing to Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday and face an all French Champions Cup quarter-final with last season's beaten finalists La Rochelle on 7 May.