Wales have been dealt an injury blow with the key man ruled out for the remainder of the season
Sam Costelow faces a race against time to be fit for Wales’ Nations Championship fixtures this summer after undergoing ankle surgery.
The Wales playmaker picked up the injury during the narrow Six Nations defeat to Scotland and will miss the remainder of the Scarlets’ United Rugby Championship campaign.
This is a blow for both Wales and the Scarlets, as Costelow has been in good form this season.
The 25-year-old was outstanding against Scotland in the Six Nations and looks ready to kick-on with his international career after a bumpy start.
It means Ospreys outside-half Dan Edwards is the favourite to wear the number 10 shirt this summer, with Jarrod Evans and Callum Sheedy also in contention.
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Both Costelow and Edwards are in pole position to be Wales’ two first-choice number 10s leading into the Rugby World Cup in Australia next summer.
Steve Tandy will be hoping the competition between both players can drive standards within the squad.
Costelow will also be absent for the final four games of the Scarlets’ United Rugby Championship campaign meaning teenage Wales U20s outside-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones will likely get a run in the number 10 shirt.
Wales face the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on June 27 before starting the inaugural Nations Championship against Fiji at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Tandy’s men then face Argentina in San Juan before finishing their season with a daunting trip to Durban to take on world champions South Africa.
Costelow has not been ruled out of the summer fixtures but faces a race against time as does hooker Dewi Lake who has undergone shoulder surgery.
But Wales will be boosted by the return of inspirational backrower Jac Morgan.
Wales won their first Six Nations game in three years last time out against Italy but will be hoping to build on that result this summer.
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