A second neck fracture has ruled the Wallabies midfield back Pat McCabe out of rugby for the rest of the year.
McCabe was taken off on a stretcher after re-injuring his neck in the loss to the British and Irish Lions at the weekend.
McCabe suffered his first fractured neck on Australia's end of year northern hemisphere tour last year and the test against the Lions in Brisbane at the weekeend was his first since then.
The Australian team doctor Warren McDonald says while the injury is a recurrence of the orginal fracture, it isn't necessarily career-ending.
He says the fracture is expected to repair itself but McCabe will need to wear a neck brace for at least six weeks.
McDonald says specialists say a return to the sport is possible pending a full recovery.
McCabe is philosophical about the injury, saying it could have been a lot worse.
He says while he'd like to return to the field he won't be taking any chances and will wait and see how his rehabilitation goes.
