Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper faces a 16-week recovery after MRI scans today confirmed he requires surgery to heal an AC joint injury suffered against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday.

Cooper will undergo surgery on his shoulder tomorrow to repair a Grade 3 AC joint injury in his left shoulder after he fell on it awkwardly in a tackle in Queensland's last-minute 30-27 loss to the Melbourne Rebels.

Blow: Reds five-eighth Quade Cooper leaves the field against the Rebels. Credit:Getty Images

Cooper will use the lengthy recovery window to also undergo arthroscopic surgery to clean up loose cartilage in his hip – a maintenance job that required a break in his playing schedule before it could be fixed.

Cooper's injury leaves Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie on the hunt for a new No.10 for the upcoming Tests which kick off against France in Brisbane on June 7.