Nathan Charles facing long-term absence

Western Force hooker Nathan Charles has been ruled out for the remainder of the year with a serious knee injury.

The 24-year-old is expected to be out of action for at least nine months with the anterior cruciate ligament injury, which he picked up in Saturday's defeat against the Cheetahs.

Force have also been hit with the news that Sias Ebersohn and Pek Cowan will miss the next few months of the season with hip and rib injuries respectively.

Charles has previously played for Gloucester in England.