(Reuters) - Karmichael Hunt has been ruled out for three months with a knee injury that makes the Australia utility back doubtful for this year's World Cup in Japan, his New South Wales Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has said.
Hunt was injured in the first minute of the Waratahs 23-15 loss to the Jaguares on Saturday and Gibson said that scans had confirmed the 32-year-old had torn a medial ligament.
"I don't know where that puts him in the frame for the Wallabies," Gibson told local media. "He's going to go back through his rehab process and see where that gets him."
Hunt is likely to miss the Wallabies' upcoming games against South Africa and Argentina in July and two more fixtures against the All Blacks in August, but could return in time for their World Cup warm-up match against Samoa in September.
Australia kick off their World Cup campaign against Fiji on Sept. 21.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)