Wales forwards Taulupe Faletau and Luke Charteris have both been ruled out of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship opening round match against Italy in Rome.
The Bath pair should, however, be fit for next week’s Principality Stadium appointment with Six Nations title holders England.
Wales assistant coach Robin McBryde confirmed that No 8 Faletau, who is recovering from a knee injury, will not be fit in time for the Stadio Olimpico clash.
And McBryde revealed that lock Charteris has a fracture in his hand.
Faletau was hurt during Bath’s Aviva Premiership game against Wasps on Christmas Eve.
He missed three of Wales’ four autumn Tests in November after suffering a knee injury on his Bath debut against Northampton two months previously.
Gloucester’s Ross Moriarty will be favourite to wear the No 8 shirt against Italy.
Wales boss Rob Howley is due to name his starting line-up on Thursday, with Scarlets lock Jake Ball favourite to partner new team captain Alun Wyn Jones in the second row.
Asked about Faletau at the Wales training base on Tuesday, McBryde said: ‘He is still progressing. It is still early days. Everything is heading in the right direction there, really.
‘(Fit) for this week? No, it will be too early this week.’
And on Charteris, McBryde added: ‘He has a slight fracture in his hand, so he has been ruled out for this weekend as well. Hopefully, he will be fit for the following week.’
WALES SQUAD – 2016 SIX NATIONS
FORWARDS
Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues) (13 Caps), Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (7 Caps), Rob Evans (Scarlets) (12 Caps), Rhodri Jones (Ospreys) (14 Caps), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (17 Caps), Samson Lee (Scarlets) (29 Caps), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues) (3 Caps), Ken Owens (Scarlets) (45 Caps), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys (28 Caps), Jake Ball (Scarlets) (21 Caps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (105 Caps), Rory Thornton (Ospreys) (Uncapped), Luke Charteris (Bath Rugby) (71 Caps), Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons) (3 Caps) James King (Ospreys) (10 Caps) Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (46 Caps) Olly Cracknell (Ospreys) (Uncapped) Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby) (12 Caps) Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby) (62 Caps) * Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (69 Caps) Thomas Young (Wasps) (Uncapped)
BACKS
Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (21 Caps), Rhys Webb (Ospreys) (23 Caps), Aled Davies (Scarlets) (Uncapped), Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (51 Caps), Sam Davies (Ospreys) (3 Caps), Owen Williams (Leicester Tigers) (Uncapped) Jamie Roberts (Harlequins) (86 Caps) * Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (59 Caps) Scott Williams (Scarlets) (41 Caps) Ashton Hewitt (Newport Gwent Dragons) (Uncapped) Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues) (44 Caps) Steffan Evans (Scarlets) (Uncapped) George North (Northampton Saints) (65 Caps) * Liam Williams (Scarlets) (38 Caps) Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon) (66 Caps)
* Denotes Senior Player Selection Policy wildcard selection
Related
