The Ospreys' James King faces plastic surgery to repair his ear injury © Getty Images

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Ospreys flanker James King will undergo plastic surgery to repair an ear that was left hanging off after a freak incident during his side's recent victory over Cardiff Blues.

The 21-year old was forced out of the action in the sixth minute of the Liberty Stadium clash, won 17-12 by the hosts, after being injured in a collision with Blues back-row forward Xavier Rush.

The Ospreys have since confirmed that King suffered a severe laceration to the ear and was taken straight to hospital in Swansea where he was treated at The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery.

"He more or less ripped an ear off in a tackle," said Ospreys forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys. "He collided with Rushie and it's quite a nasty one."

The Ospreys ninth win of the RaboDirect PRO12 campaign kept the pressure on league leaders Leinster who are six points ahead of their Welsh rivals at the top of the table.