Injury doubt over Jones
Wales winger Mark Jones is a serious injury doubt ahead of Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with France at the Millennium Stadium.
Jones is struggling with a knee problem sustained in the first half of Wales’ 18-18 draw with Italy at the weekend and is under close investigation by team physio Mark Davies.
Jones, who scored the first of Wales’ two tries against the Azzurri, has not yet been ruled out of contention to face the championship-chasing French - unlike scrum-half Dwayne Peel who suffered a shoulder sprain after only nine minutes against Italy.
Peel was ruled out of the France game immediately and further analysis indicates he will be out for at least a month.
“Mark tweaked his knee in the first half on Saturday, it has subsequently swollen in the 24 hours following the game“, said Davies.
“The knee is currently subject to treatment and further investigation.
“Dwayne’s injury is more clear cut with a sprain to his A/C joint ruling him out of contention this weekend. We will know more following a scan in the next few days, but the current feeling is that he will struggle to recover inside the next four weeks.”
If Jones is ruled out, Wales could call Dafydd James back into the side or move Hal Luscombe from the centre and include Gavin Henson in the starting XV.
At times this season the Welsh camp has been more like a scene from a hospital emergency room, with the absence of 11 key players undermining any hopes of retaining their Grand Slam title.
Other factors have come into play as well – such as the controversial departure of head coach Mike Ruddock – but Wales have not had the likes of Tom Shanklin and Ryan Jones available at all this season.
Davies is not at all surprised by Wales’ casualty list after a demanding 12 months including that Grand Slam campaign and, for many, a Lions tour on top of club and regional duties.
“I would be more surprised if there wasn’t a steady inclination in the number and level of injuries we have at a national level,” admitted Davies, who provided medical support on the 1997 and 2001 Lions tours.
“Inevitably when you produce bigger, stronger and faster players – which rugby is doing year on year – the impact on the body will be greater and more injuries will follow.
“Ball in play time and the velocity of collision also add to the impact on players’ bodies.
“If you look at the boys who have picked up injuries for Wales many of them came through our Grand Slam winning season and straight on to a tough Lions tour and subsequently that workload has simply taken its toll.”
Scrum-half Gareth Cooper (shoulder) and full-back Kevin Morgan (foot) are still six months away from playing again after undergoing recent surgery.
Worcester prop Chris Horsman (ankle) and loose forward Ryan Jones (shoulder) are both expected to be fi to enjoy a full part in pre-season training.
Captain Gareth Thomas cannot play for at least another three months after he was diagnosed with a damaged artery in his neck. Thomas cannot do anything to even raise his blood pressure at present.
Brent Cockbain ripped his hamstring in the autumn victory over Fiji but is progressing well and will resume running in the coming weeks.
Shanklin, who returned from the Lions tour for knee surgery, is back running again and is expected to start training with Cardiff next month.
Ceri Sweeney (groin) and Luke Charteris (shoulder) are both back in training but short on match fitness.
