Springboks loose forward Pierre Spies has been ruled out of June Tests against Wales and Scotland after the recurrence of an upper arm injury.
Twice world champions South Africa are provisionally scheduled to host Wales in Durban and Nelspruit and Scotland in Port Elizabeth ahead of Rugby Championship clashes with Australia and New Zealand.
Super 15 outfit Northern Bulls said Monday that skipper Spies, 28 and capped over 50 times, will have surgery this week on a bicep problem that sidelined the No.8 for six months last year.
Spies - who missed the 2007 World Cup winning campaign because of blood clots on his lungs - is expected to be out for a further six months, preventing him playing any part in the 2014 southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship.
Bulls, three times Super Rugby champions, have made a dismal start to the season, losing to fellow South Africans Coastal Sharks and Central Cheetahs.
The Spies blow comes after a knee injury sidelined Springboks flanker Arno Botha for the Super 15 season, leaving coach Frans Ludeke cursing his bad luck.
"Pierre and Arno were an important part of our game plan and contributed tremendously when it came to leadership," he said.
