MELBOURNE — Karmichael Hunt's hopes of a return to the Wallabies squad ahead of the World Cup have been dealt a blow with the New South Wales Waratahs utility back expected to miss the rest of the Super Rugby season with a knee injury.

Hunt went down with a suspected medial ligament injury in the first minute of a 23-15 loss to the Jaguares on Saturday.

While the team are still awaiting the results of a scan, Waratahs assistant coach Steve Tandy gave a gloomy prognosis when asked whether Hunt was out for the rest of the season.

"Yeah, I should imagine so unless something remarkable happens," Tandy told reporters at training in Sydney on Monday.

"It's just really disappointing for Karmichael and the team.

"You're obviously losing a player with a lot of experience and his physical presence, and what he brings to the training week is obviously a big miss."

Frozen out by Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn last season, Hunt was thrown a lifeline by Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson and was seen as a chance to win back a spot in Michael Cheika's squad for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

However, the 32-year-old seems unlikely to have any more chances to impress Cheika before he picks his squad for the Rugby Championship starting in July.

The Waratahs' loss to the Jaguares has all but killed off their playoffs chances in a dreary season after their run to last year's semi-finals.

Sitting third in the Australian conference behind the leading ACT Brumbies and the Melbourne Rebels with three rounds left in the regular season, the Waratahs had already lost the services of Wallabies fullback Israel Folau after he was sacked for a controversial social media post. — Reuters

Pocock expected to announce 2019 retirement — report

Wallabies flanker David Pocock is expected to confirm that 2019 will be his last season in Australian rugby when he fronts a media conference on Tuesday, a report on the rugby Australia website rugby.com.au said on Monday.

The 31-year-old openside is struggling with a long-term calf injury and has played only for three matches for the ACT Brumbies in Super rugby this season.

rugby.com.au said Pocock was set to confirm 2019 would be his last season with the Canberra-based Brumbies, though he was expected to play in Japan's Top League after the World Cup in the east Asian nation.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar conceded last week that Pocock may have already played his last Brumbies game as he prepares for one last tilt at winning a World Cup in Michael Cheika's Wallabies.

"The Brumbies medical staff and the Wallabies medical staff will have a chat over the next few days and we'll come to some sort of clarity there around where he heads over the next few weeks," McKellar said.

"It's all the things we've got to look at to see whether he plays Super rugby or whether he now puts his attention towards the World Cup.

"Those are things we've got to discuss between the Brumbies and the Wallabies."

The 77-test Pocock is renowned as one of the world's best fetchers but has struggled with a string of serious injuries since returning from a sabbatical last season. — Reuters