Injury blow for Reds duo

Reds flanker Hugh McMeniman will miss at least half and possibly all of the Reds' remaining matches in the Super 14 tournament after fracturing an ankle in Friday's loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Flanker Hugh McMeniman will miss at least half and possibly all of the Reds' remaining matches in the Super 14 tournament after fracturing an ankle in Friday's loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Reds coach Phil Mooney will also be without scrum-half Sam Cordingley for at least the next two weeks after the World Cup Wallaby suffered a groin strain in the 23-18 defeat.

Mooney said McMeniman will be out for at least six weeks and possibly up to six months, depending on the severity of the injury, which is being referred to a specialist for further advice.

“It's terribly bad luck for Hugh, who had been playing so well for us,” Mooney said from Wellington.

“Hopefully the news from the specialist will be good and that we can get him back for the second half of the season.”

Mooney said Cordingley had suffered a grade two strain of the adductor muscle, which normally meant 2-4 weeks on the sideline.

“It's also bad luck for Sam, who missed the whole of last season with a complicated foot injury and who, like Hugh, had played extremely well for us in our opening games,” said Mooney.

The Reds used their full bench in the bruising encounter with the Hurricanes, but Mooney said all other members of the squad should be fit for selection in Round Three against the Brumbies in Canberra next Saturday.