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Wales insist captain Jac Morgan will not be rushed back amid fears the British and Lions flanker could miss the start of the Six Nations Championship.
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The Welsh Rugby Union confirmed on Tuesday that Morgan suffered a dislocated shoulder during Wales’ 52-28 Autumn Nations Series defeat to Argentina 48 hours earlier, with uncapped Ospreys back-rower Harri Deaves called up to replace him.
The National Health Service website says it usually takes up to 12 weeks to recover from a dislocated shoulder, and 16 weeks to fully return to playing some sports, while recovery can take even longer.
Wales begin their Six Nations campaign against England at Twickenham just over 12 weeks away on February 7.
Attack coach Matt Sherratt said: “I don’t know the exact date (of Morgan’s return). I haven’t had any info on that at all.
“We just hope he’s back as soon as possible, when he’s fit and ready to play. He won’t be rushed back, I’m sure of that.”
Morgan was one of only two Welshman on the Lions’ victorious tour of Australia in the summer and led from the front against Los Pumas with an all-action display.
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He was injured in the act of scoring a superb solo try but the 25-year-old will now miss the rest of Wales’ autumn campaign, starting against Japan on Saturday.
Sherratt said: “It’s a big blow. Jac is unbelievable and just seems to be getting better and better.
“Sometimes after a Lions tour you wonder how players come back in terms of it being quite emotional. Coming back to club rugby, it can take the wind out of the sails.
“But he’s come back probably better than he was at the end of last season.
“We saw what he was like for 50-60 minutes at the weekend. He was top turnovers, top tackles, scored a try from seven metres out.
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“I’m gutted for Jac because he was really invested with this group but it’s an opportunity for Harri, who has been knocking the door down at the Ospreys.”
Wales might have fallen to an 18th defeat in 19 Test matches and shipped seven tries against Argentina in Steve Tandy’s first match in charge.
But there were some signs of real attacking promise as Wales manufactured four tries of their own, some of them high quality.
Sherratt said: “I would say it was a decent start in terms of there being plenty of intent.
“There’s still a lot of growth in every aspect of our attack.
“But there was a lot of information to take on board in seven or eight sessions and I was pleased with how the players did that.”
