Wales' provisional 2011 Rugby World Cup squad’s injury Update – Rugby news
Wales has been hit by a slew of injuries and other setbacks right before the upcoming 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC). Here is a quick run through of all the changes and substitutions being made to the team.
Wales Rugby Union (WRU) has announced the inclusion of the Scarlets’ hooker Ken Owens in the 45-man provisional 2011 Rugby World Cup squad. Owens has been included in place of the injured hooker from Ospreys Richard Hibbard. Hibbard’s shoulder was operated
on a few days back and will take 10 to 12 weeks to recover. Due to the injury, Hibbard is set to miss the WRU’s pre-world cup preparations.
The decision was announced by the WRU national medical performance manager Prav Mathema at the end of the medical fitness assessment and conditioning camp held at the WRU headquarters on Wednesday June 15. Mathema said, “Richard has been given a return to
play time of 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it possible for him to be back to fitness by the end of August.”
The camp provided a good opportunity for the national team’s management to get updates with the players’ injuries and their fitness level at the end of a very tough domestic and European season.
WRU has confirmed that the Blues prop Gethin Jenkins has fully recovered from his toe injury and the subsequent operation. Ospreys prop Craig Mitchell has also recovered from his shoulder injury. Welsh international prop Mitchell dislocated his shoulder
during the 2011 RBS Six Nations tournament.
Additionally, Ospreys winger Shane Williams and Blues winger Leigh Halfpenny are expected to recover from their knee and foot operations in 2 to 3 and 5 to 6 weeks time respectively.
In the next stage of their World Cup preparations, WRU has announced that the squad will attend two special purpose training camps in Poland. The first camp will start on 2nd July and end on 11th July while the second camp will start
on 18th July and end on 26th July. Both camps will be held at the Spala, Poland.
Before their departure to New Zealand for 2011 RWC, Wales will play three pre-world cup preparation games. England will host Wales at Twickenham on August 6, followed by England’s team visit to the Millennium Stadium Cardiff on 13th August. Wales
will host Pumas on August 20, which will be their last game before the announcement of their final 30-member squad for 2011 RWC.
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