Munster Rugby lock Tadhg Beirne will miss the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16, as he is set to undergo surgery on an ankle injury sustained playing for Ireland in the Six Nations.

The 31-year-old was a mainstay of the Munster team in the Heineken Champions Cup pool stage, crossing for a try at Stade Toulousain in Round 4 as they ultimately secured a Round of 16 contest at Cell C Sharks.

Beirne is set to miss that trip to Durban on April 1 after Ireland announced he will be out of action for up to 12 weeks.

That timeframe would also see him miss the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals and probably the semi-finals should Munster progress that far.