Son of a Wallabies' gun Louis Lynagh has been forced out of Italy's Six Nations squad after having to undergo a knee operation.
The Azzurri, as expected, omitted the 24-year-old winger when they announced their 30-strong squad on Friday, just a couple of days since Lynagh had surgery to repair damage to his lateral collateral ligament in his left knee.
Though no time frame has been given for his likely return, there's no chance of Lynagh, son of former Wallabies' World Cup-winning great Michael Lynagh, continuing his exciting international progress in the competition that runs from February to mid-March.
Lynagh, whose mother is Italian, had been eligible to play for Italy, England or Australia, but ended up throwing in his lot with the Azzurri and made a great start for them last season, making a try-scoring debut in the win over Scotland and consistently impressing throughout the year.
But he had to undergo surgery after suffering the injury in Benetton Treviso's victory over fellow Italian club Zebre in Parma three days after Christmas.
Treviso reported on Wednesday: "Tests revealed a lesion of the lateral collateral ligament, which required surgery, performed in London.
"The surgery was a complete success and the player will now begin his rehabilitation process."
Lynagh himself declared in a social media post: "I'll be back better."
Italy get their campaign underway with a trip to Edinburgh to face Scotland, and there will be one Australian winger in their squad in the shape of Melburnian Monty Ioane, now a veteran of 35 caps.
The 30-year-old nephew of Digby Ioane and cousin of Pete Samu - both former Wallabies - has been playing his rugby in France with Lyon and is part of a resurgent, confident Italy team, who last year avoided the 'wooden spoon' of finishing last in the Six Nations for the first time in nine years.
