Dreadful injury news for Tommy Bowe as World Cup hits keep coming

The Ulsterman may not return to the pitch until the end of the season.

Ireland's World Cup campaign, including their warm-up matches, have taken a heavy toll on the provinces. While Leinster will have to do without Johnny Sexton for another week, or two, Ulster and Munster have suffered most. Jared Payne has already been ruled out for six weeks following a foot fracture sustained in an Irish training session. The news on Tommy Bowe is worse. The Ulster winger went down after 14 minutes of Ireland's quarter final exit to Argentina, last Sunday. Bowe has damaged knee ligaments and though a full diagnosis has yet to be delivered, he will not play rugby again this year. Bowe is unlikely to feature in the 2016 Six Nations. Indeed, Belfast Telegraph report that the 31-year-old could be out for between six and nine months. Munster coach Anthony Foley must do without long-term injury victims Peter O'Mahony [knee ligament] and Tommy O'Donnell [hip]. They were also granted permission, by the IRFU, to bring in Uruguayan prop Mario Sagario following Stephen Archer's neck operation. BJ Botha's contract expires on December 31 but he may now be kept on until the end of the season.