91Èȱ¬

Cornish Pirates captain John Stevens will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Scans show the forward needs an operation to repair damage to both his anterior and cruciate knee ligaments.

The 29-year-old was hurt in the first half of the Championship club’s opening game of the season away at Nottingham.

"It's a big blow for us, a big blow for John, but the way John is, he's very matter of fact," Cornish Pirates joint-head coach Gavin Cattle told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Cornwall.

"He'll get it done and will no doubt rehab diligently and get back fit."

The club brought in Ealing forward Tomiwa Agbongbon on loan on Tuesday to help cover for Stevens’ injury.

"He was in a rich vein of form," Cattle added of his captain.

"He had a cracking season last year and if anybody went to the Exeter game in pre-season I genuinely thought in that first half he was the best player on the pitch.

"He's a prominent figure around the club, he'll still have an influence from the outside, and we'll support him and get behind him."