Wales will anxiously await an update on Dewi Lake amid an injury pile-up at hooker less than a fortnight out from the start of the Six Nations.
Internationals Ryan Elias (achilles), Elliot Dee (collarbone), Sam Parry (shoulder) and Kristian Dacey (calf muscle) all missed the latest round of European action with their regions because of bumps.
And a neck problem has sidelined Cardiff’s Liam Belcher hasn’t played since New Year’s Day.
Lake joined the worrying list of casualties on Friday evening when he injured a knee playing for the Ospreys in their Heineken Champions Cup win over Leicester Tigers. He was later seen on crutches, with his regional coach Toby Booth saying: “Dewi is a tough boy, so if he leaves the pitch it is probably not great.”
It leaves Warren Gatland potentially needing to find another No. 2 to feature in his squad alongside Ken Owens and Bradley Roberts.
Should the news prove bleak on Lake, the favourite to step in would be the player who replaced the former Wales U20s captain in the Ospreys’ side at Welford Road.
Scott Baldwin has featured in 11 out of 12 United Rugby Champions games for his region this term, starting six of those. The 34-year-old knows the international scene and has been playing well this season.
Dacey is said to be nearing a return but isn’t ready yet.
Beyond those two, there’s Kirby Myhill, capped against New Zealand in 2021, and his Cardiff squad-mate Efan Daniel, highly promising and impressive for Wales U20s last year, when he was viewed as a future international by head coach Byron Hayward, but who has yet to start a match for the Arms Park club.
Shaun Evans and Dafydd Hughes are both fit at the Scarlets, with Hughes having captained the west Walians earlier this season and piled up significant tackle and carrying counts. Evans has converted from flanker to hooker and shadowed Ken Owens in Saturday's EPCR Challenge Cup win over Bayonne.
Brodie Coghlan, Ellis Shipp and James Benjamin are in the mix at the Dragons. The coaches there have been pleased with Coghlan’s progress, in particular, but the youngster has next to no senior experience to talk of.
Oli Burrows shared Wales U20s hooking duties with Daniel but he has yet to break through at Exeter Chiefs.
Lake had started the Ospreys' European match with Leicester like a train, scoring a try, making six carries and three tackles in the opening 27 minutes, only for his involvement to be cut short.
"It was a knee injury," said Booth after the game. "It got bent backwards. We just have to hope it is one of those things that recovers quickly."
READ MORE:
Warren Gatland brings back 'beast' immediately in Six Nations selection that went under radar
Wild scenes inside Ospreys dressing room as hero prop leads celebrations
Rhys Webb on his emotional Wales recall and how he can make a Six Nations impact
Sam Warburton names future Wales captain and says Warren Gatland can stun Ireland
Warren Gatland disappointed WRU blocked Rob Howley appointment and insists he should be forgiven
