Gloucester Rugby will be without the services of Argentina international second row Matias Alemanno for the next "couple of months" after director of rugby George Skivington confirmed he will have surgery on his recent shoulder injury.

The 31-year-old lock went off during the second half of Gloucester's 22-15 defeat away at Exeter Chiefs on December 29 after suffering a labral tear in his shoulder cartilage. Providing an update in the 96-cap Puma star, Skivington told the BBC: "He's out for a couple of months. We're coming up to a break in the Premiership which is in favour of that but he's still a month after that to come back.”

While Gloucester are well stocked in the second row with the likes of Wales international Freddie Thomas, Arthur Clark, Cam Jordan and Freddie Clarke, but Alemanno’s injury comes as a further blow with the club having already confirmed star number eight Zach Mercer and one-cap England international winger Ollie Thorley are out for the season with knee injuries, while rising prop star Afo Fasogbon is out with an Achilles injury for several months.

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Skivington continued: "Mati hit really good form, he was flying and we were seeing the best of Mati so from that point of view we're all gutted, he's obviously gutted. "He's nearly a 100-Test international so he knows the score with how this goes, he'll knuckle down and come back fit and strong when he's available."

Skivington is expected to rotate this squad this weekend for the visit of United Rugby Championship side the Scarlets in the Challenge Cup, with the club still fighting on three fronts, sitting fifth in the Gallagher Premiership after last weekend’s impressive 36-20 win over Sale Sharks and looking likely to progress to the knockout rounds of the Premiership Rugby Cup as well.

Qualification for the knockout rounds of the Challenge Cup remains wide open with every club in Pool 3 having won one game and lost one so far.