A ruptured Achilles tendon to Quade Cooper has soured Australia’s Rugby Championship defeat of Argentina on Saturday and could put the veteran playmaker in doubt to feature at next year’s World Cup.

Fly-half Cooper suffered the injury when slipping over early in the second half of the Wallabies’ 41-26 win and he can expect a lengthy period recovering from damage that typically needs at least nine months to heal.

It is another agonising blow for the 34-year-old, who grasped at his lower leg in pain and needed assistance in a slow exit from the game.

Cooper was hoping to cement first-choice status after missing the entire 2-1 home series loss to England, having injured a calf muscle during the warmups for the first Test in Perth.

A return to action in the middle of next year will leave little time for the 75-Test veteran to prove himself ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France, beginning in September.

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