TORONTO - Veteran Canadian rugby international Jamie Cudmore is facing back surgery and will be out three to four months, according to his French club Clermont Auvergne.

An MRI showed the 37-year-old second-row forward has a spinal cord hernia in two places.

Cudmore, arguably Canada's highest-profile professional player, is in his last season with Clermont. He has been linked to England's Gloucester in recent weeks.

Cudmore has won 39 test caps for Canada, including 14 Rugby World Cup appearances. He captained Canada at the 2015 World Cup in the absence of injured skipper Tyler Ardron.