By Andrew Collins
May 11 2006

Lions, Wales and Blues star Tom Shanklin will not play again this season.

Instead, physios are telling him to rest the knee, and get a full pre-season under his belt before rushing back into match contact.

It had been thought that Tom would make the last 2 games of the season, allowing him some game time before next years campaign, but it's now been announced he won't be avaialable.

The Harrow-born centre who joined the Blues in 2003 has been carrying a serious knee injury for the past 12 months, which has seen him miss an entire season with the Cardiff side aswell as Wales 6 Nations and pull out of the British Lions tour.

Shanklin did come back from the injury after the Lions tour, but it lasted under 40 minutes, leaving the feild early as fears over his career began However, he has over come those concerns, and will be pulling on a Blues shirt next season.

The Blues play Leinster on Sunday at 6.10pm at the Millenium Stadium, while the following weeks game against Munster has been confirmed as 5.30pm kick on on Saturday.