Australia five-eighth Quade Cooper will miss the rest of the Rugby Championship due to a knee injury.

Cooper underwent scans on his right knee in Brisbane on Tuesday which revealed a small chip of articular cartilage which will require surgery.

Over and out ... Quade Cooper's appearance against Argentina will be his last of the 2012 Rugby Championship. Credit:Getty Images

It is the same knee which was operated on after last year's World Cup but, according to a Wallabies statement, the injury is not long-term and the enigmatic Cooper is expected to be available for Australia's spring tour of France, England, Italy and Wales in November.

The injury compounds a troublesome season for Cooper. He put in one of his worst Test efforts of his 38-cap career in the Wallabies' come-from-behind win over Argentina last Saturday night on the Gold Coast.