Blood clots end Super Rugby season for Hurricanes prop

(Reuters) - Former New Zealand prop John Schwalger will miss the remainder of the Super Rugby season after being diagnosed with blood clots on his lungs, his Wellington Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett said.

The 30-year-old, who has played twice for the All Blacks, missed the Hurricanes 39-20 win over the Auckland Blues in Wellington on Friday after the "scary diagnosis".

"We thought it was likely to just be a chest infection, which it was initially, and he was treated with antibiotics but even after that had healed, he was still having the same issues," Hammett was quoted as saying by Fairfax media on Monday.

"I'm just pleased they got it when they did. It could have been a really scary case, particularly for a tough guy like him who would have probably just soldiered on with something like that.

"It's a serious illness, I suppose you'd call it, and it's very likely to keep him out for the rest of the year, certainly for Super Rugby.

"A lot of people have overcome that, so hopefully he does and can push on for next year."

Hammett said the Hurricanes would look to recruit another prop to beef up their pack in the absence of Schwalger.

The Hurricanes are third in the New Zealand conference, four points behind the defending champion Waikato Chiefs.

(Writing by Patrick Johnston; Editing by John O'Brien)