Harry Ellis has been ruled out of the Guinness Premiership Final and Heineken Cup Final with a knee injury.
The England scrum-half was injured during the second half of the Guinness Premiership semi-final win over Bristol Rugby last Saturday and will not play again this season.
Head coach Pat Howard confirmed the injury was to the anterior cruciate ligament in the 24-year-old's left knee.
He said: "Harry's season is over for Leicester. He had a scope on his knee on Monday and we know a lot more about the injury now. England and Leicester are going to work together as a medical team to come up with the best answer.
"It is too early to talk about the World Cup. The medical teams have a lot of information about the injury and they are going to go through it and the two medical teams are coming together to come up with an answer.
"In terms of the Leicester team, it is a blow, but we have to deal with it and we have a big squad. But in terms of Harry himself, it is obviously very disappointing."
Ellis has enjoyed an impressive season with Tigers, during which he passed the landmark of 100 starting appearances for his home-town club, and he was arguably England's stand-out player during the Six Nations Championship.
Ellis said: "The injury has come at a very bad time with two big cup finals and the World Cup coming up. But I have to put myself in the hands of the medical teams and hope the damage is not too bad and that I am a quick healer."
Howard confirmed that Scott Bemand was on the route back to fitness after a knee injury, while he also has Frank Murphy and Ben Youngs as alternatives at scrum-half for this weekend's Guinness Premiership Final against Gloucester at Twickenham.
The England scrum-half was injured during the second half of the Guinness Premiership semi-final win over Bristol Rugby last Saturday and will not play again this season.
Head coach Pat Howard confirmed the injury was to the anterior cruciate ligament in the 24-year-old's left knee.
He said: "Harry's season is over for Leicester. He had a scope on his knee on Monday and we know a lot more about the injury now. England and Leicester are going to work together as a medical team to come up with the best answer.
"It is too early to talk about the World Cup. The medical teams have a lot of information about the injury and they are going to go through it and the two medical teams are coming together to come up with an answer.
"In terms of the Leicester team, it is a blow, but we have to deal with it and we have a big squad. But in terms of Harry himself, it is obviously very disappointing."
Ellis has enjoyed an impressive season with Tigers, during which he passed the landmark of 100 starting appearances for his home-town club, and he was arguably England's stand-out player during the Six Nations Championship.
Ellis said: "The injury has come at a very bad time with two big cup finals and the World Cup coming up. But I have to put myself in the hands of the medical teams and hope the damage is not too bad and that I am a quick healer."
Howard confirmed that Scott Bemand was on the route back to fitness after a knee injury, while he also has Frank Murphy and Ben Youngs as alternatives at scrum-half for this weekend's Guinness Premiership Final against Gloucester at Twickenham.
