Latham out for six months

Latham visited a specialist on Wednesday who confirmed he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament and required surgery as early as this weekend.

The Queensland Reds said the full extent of Latham's injury would not be known until he undergoes the operation.

"We suspect it is a high grade tear, but if there are still some fibres attached we may leave it to repair itself, otherwise we will intervene to re-attach the ligament," said a medical spokesperson for the Super 14 team.

Latham hurt his knee in training last weekend but said he expects to make a full recovery in time for this year's World Cup, starting in France in September.

Latham, who won the John Eales Medal as Australia's best international player last season, is certain to miss the entire Super 14 season and Australia's internationals against Wales, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa.