Rugby – Six Nations:Ospreys' Adam Jones is the latest casualty ahead of Wales' Six Nations Championship campaign with the British and Irish Lions tighthead expected to be sidelined for up to eight weeks because of an elbow problem.
It means Jones is set to join fellow Wales and Lions prop Gethin Jenkins in missing the entire campaign, which Wales kick off against England in Cardiff on Friday evening (February 4th).
Jones, who has won 68 caps, was hurt during the Ospreys’ Heineken Cup loss to London Irish last weekend.
Jones’ injury is the latest in a series of setbacks for Wales coach Warren Gatland, who has overseen a run of seven successive Test matches without a win.
Centres Tom Shanklin and Andrew Bishop are both absent due to injury, while scrumhalf Richie Rees - who provided bench cover throughout this season’s autumn Test series - is banned until late March.
England also have their injury troubles though, with three key forwards - Lewis Moody, Tom Croft and Courtney Lawes - out of at least the first half of this season’s Six Nations schedule.
Gatland is due to name his Six Nations squad by next Monday, with Paul James expected to replace Jenkins against England, but ready-made alternatives to Jones are in short supply.
Gatland could consider the merits of an experienced player like Scarlets prop Iestyn Thomas, but that would mean James packing down in an unfamiliar tighthead position.
Jones’ Ospreys colleague Craig Mitchell is the current favourite to take over from him, but Wales have lost arguably the world’s best tighthead on current form.
Jones (29) underwent a scan earlier this week, with the Ospreys now in receipt of the medical reports. Ospreys head physiotherapist Chris Towers said: “The scans have confirmed our suspicion of significant ligament damage and soft tissue trauma to the left elbow.
“We’ve discussed the case at length, both with orthopaedic specialists and the Welsh Rugby Union medical team, and expect that Adam is likely to be out for around eight weeks.”
