Harlequins suffer double blow ahead of new Premiership season as Luke Wallace needs surgery on dislocated hip

The openside flanker is likely to miss the rest of 2017, while up and coming wing Jonas Mikalcius will not play this season due to knee surgery

Luke Wallace will undergo surgery after dislocating his hip (Getty)

Harlequins suffered a double blow three weeks out from their opening Premiership game of the season after it was confirmed that flanker Luke Wallace will likely miss the rest of 2017 after dislocating his hip, combined with the loss of rising wing Jonas Mikalcius for the entire season.

26-year-old Wallace has been pushing for England selection for some time, made his breakthrough season in 2011/12 in which he was shortlisted for the Discovery of the Season award, and his form led to inclusion for the England Saxons as well as a non-cap international against the Barbarians in 2014.

The openside flanker has been a key part of Harlequins’ return to the European Champions Cup for the upcoming season after two years away from the competition, but he now stands to miss most, if not all, of the pool stage after dislocating his hip in a pre-season match against London Irish last Saturday, with the injury requiring surgery next week.

Quins do not know how long Wallace will be out for until after his operation, but the likelihood is he will not feature until after Christmas at the earliest.

Matters were made all the worse with the news that 23-year-old Lithuanian wing Mikalcius will miss the entire season, having already undergone surgery on damaged knee ligaments in his left knee, including his anterior cruciate ligament [ACL], following his appearance at the Premiership Rugby Singha 7s.

Jonas Mikalcius will not play at all this season after damaging knee ligaments (Getty)

“We are all wishing Luke and Jonas the very best for their recovery,” Harlequins director of rugby John Kingston said. “The road back to full fitness will be a long one, but they are both very resilient characters and I know they will be determined to do all that they can to come back stronger.”

Quins will play one more pre-season match on Saturday against Championship side Jersey Reds as the Twickenham Stoop, before opening their Premiership campaign against London Irish in the London Double Header across the road at Twickenham Stadium.