Jonathan Davies joins ranks of injured Wales centres

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/oct/27/jonathan-davies-injured-wales-clermont-auvergne

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The centre Jonathan Davies joined the Wales training camp on Monday afternoon and was immediately sent for a scan after suffering a shoulder injury playing for Clermont Auvergne against Sale in the European Champions Cup on Sunday.

Davies, who missed six of Wales’s Tests last season, suffered the injury 11 minutes into the victory over Sale but played on for four minutes, setting up his side’s opening try. Reports in France said he had suffered a dislocated shoulder but they were not confirmed by Wales.

He has started only two matches with his Lions’ midfield partner Jamie Roberts since the tour to Australia and faces being ruled out of the autumn international programme which includes Tests against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

“Jon had a bump on his shoulder and we are uncertain about the extent of the injury,” said the Wales attack coach, Rob Howley. “A scan has been organised for him and it is disappointing. Our medical team spoke to him after the Clermont game and he came off when he felt pain in his shoulder. We just have to wait to find out how bad the injury is.”

Scott Williams covered for Davies last season but strained a hamstring in the opening stages of the Scarlets’ Champions Cup victory over Leicester on Saturday night, while the fourth centre in the squad, Corey Allen, pulled a muscle in his back warming up for Cardiff Blues in Rovigo and could not play.

Wales have the option of playing the wing George North in the centre. He started at 13 against France in this year’s Six Nations in the absence of Davies and Williams, and played there for 71 minutes for Northampton against Ospreys on Saturday, scoring his side’s four tries.

“We just have to get on with the strength in depth we have,” Howley said. “The nature of the game means you suffer injuries and centre is a particularly attritional position. I would be lying if I said centre was not giving us cause for concern but we do not know the extent of the injuries yet and, potentially, Corey and Scott could be fit for Australia for next week.

“George played in the centre for us last season and it is something we have talked about for a couple of years. He is not a bad at outside-centre and it was good to see him back to his Lions form for Northampton at the weekend. He is an option for us if we need to go there.”

Wales will have a decision to make at scrum-half, where Rhys Webb has started the season strongly for Ospreys and is challenging Mike Phillips, who has spent most of the campaign on the Racing Métro bench. “Rhys and his half-back partner Dan Biggar have been major factors in Ospreys’ good start to the season,” Howley said. “His game-management has been impressive in tight games.”

Webb views Phillips as the player in possession of the jersey. “He is a world-class scrum-half with a wealth of international experience,” he said. “He is the No1 and I have to give it my best shot and leave it up to the coaches.”

The Lions flanker Dan Lydiate joined the squad earlier than his other colleagues who are based in France after being left out of Racing’s match-day 23 in Treviso on Sunday and is close to signing for Ospreys.