By Paul Jones
Jac Morgan is set to miss the Six Nations because of knee injury that requires surgery.
The Wales World Cup captain is poised to undergo an operation within days and may struggle to be fit before the end of the season.
Morgan – who emerged as coach Warren Gatland’s first choice skipper in France after going to the tournament as co-captain with Dewi Lake – has been told that scans on his injury show it is worse than first feared.
He needs to go under the knife, which will rule him out of the Six Nations which starts on February 2 as well as the Ospreys’ fixtures over the next few months.
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It’s a huge blow for the player, for his country and his region as Morgan had established himself as one of the best back row forwards in the world with a series of dynamic displays at the World Cup.
It also leaves Gatland with the headache of who to turn to as his captain, since Lake’s position as the starting hooker was not established in France.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth was reticent to say how long Morgan would be out for, but a series of phone calls between Wales staff and those at the Ospreys on Thursday outlined the extent of the injury.
“He is probably going to have an operation to repair an injury,” Booth explained. “We will know a little bit more about that in the next couple of days.
“If there is a repair involved, it will probably be more long-term, but those things can be difficult to predict until we know the nature of it.
“I have not got the details of that yet, it’s hot off the press in the last 24 hours. We know a little bit more what we are dealing with but until people plot the course of action, which our medical team is doing now, we won’t know the exact answer.
“We will know more about it after I have spoken to the medical team who will be speaking to the surgeon to see if that (surgery) is going to happen.
“It is a blow for Jac after the year he has had, but it provides the opportunity for others. We have some good players and they will have the chance to show what they can do.”
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Morgan made his Test debut for Wales in 2022 under former head coach Wayne Pivac.
He has since become a regular starter for the side since Gatland returned as head coach.
Meanwhile, Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt says that No.8 Taulupe Faletau is “healing well” after he broke his arm during the World Cup pool stage match against Georgia.
Sherratt was unable to provide a return date for the experienced back rower but added that he thinks his recovery is “going as planned.”
Gatland is set to be without the services of Taine Plumtree, who has a shoulder injury that will rule him out of the Six Nations, while Christ Tshiunza has broken his foot.
Wales kick off their 2024 Six Nations campaign in Cardiff against Scotland before back-to-back away Tests against England and Ireland, respectively.
Gatland’s charges complete the tournament at home with clashes against France and Italy.
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