The scheduled TMO for Ireland and England's Six Nations encounter this weekend has been stabbed in South Africa.

Following Saturday's Vodacom Super Rugby match between the Stormers and the Blues at Newlands, an upmarket suburb of Cape Town, Shaun Veldsman was assaulted in his car.

Whilst travelling on the N2 he was attacked, stabbed in the lung and subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit of the Stellenbosch Medi Clinic.

The window of his vehicle, a pick-up truck, was broken in the assault.

The incident is being reported by South African site Netwerk24 to have taken place at about 9pm, following the Stormers victory in which Vodacom had acted as TMO in.

Veldsman managed to escape from the vehicle and was helped on the side of the road. He is said to be in a stable condition although it appears highly unlikely that he will be able to travel to Dublin for this weekend's Six Nations fixture.

He was one of four South African referees selected for the European tournament.

South Africa Rugby Union's head of corporate affairs Andy Colquhoun has said that the referee was stabbed with a sharp object.

“He has a hole in his lung after being stabbed” he explained.

The truck’s ignition was damaged but only Veldsman’s mobile phone was stolen with his bag and laptop remaining behind his seat where he had left them.