Ulster's Cave out for six weeks

He will miss Saturday's crucial Heineken Cup final pool game with Clermont Ferrand in France.

The 24-year-old picked up the injury in Friday night's 41-7 win over Leicester at Ravenhill.

An MRI scan on Monday 16 January revealed the extent of the damage.

Cave missed large parts of last season with a hamstring injury and his latest setback comes as a huge disappointment for a player who has been one of Ulster's standout performers in recent months.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin will name his preliminary squad for the game after a training session at Newforge on Wednesday.

A win over the French side would guarantee top slot in the Pool and a home quarter final for McLauglin's side.

A losing bonus point would probably be enough to secure second place and progression to the knock-out stages as one of two best runners up.

However defeat for Ulster would leave them relying on other results going in their favour if they are to qualify for the last eight for the second year in a row.

Ulster have never won a European Cup game on French soil and have avoided defeat on one occasion when they fought out a draw in Toulouse.