Navidi set to miss out on Wales’ opener against France
WALES look set to be without back-row star Josh Navidi for Saturday’s autumn opener against France in Paris.
The Grand Slam winner has been sidelined since suffering concussion in a Cardiff Blues training match late last month.
He has not yet been able to train with Wales so far this week and is still undergoing concussion protocols.
The 29-year-old has only had one outing since rugby returned, skippering the Blues to victory over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade at the end of August.
He had been lined up to captain them against Zebre in their opening Guinness PRO14 match of the new season at the beginning of this month.
But some 10 days before that, he picked up his injury in an internal training match with the Blues and he is still going through the recovery process.
Updating the situation, Wales kicking coach Neil Jenkins said: “Josh is going through his protocols and we will see how he goes this week and for the weeks coming up.
“He is doing those protocols with the medical staff and we’ll see where he is at later in the week. He didn’t train with us here yesterday, but we will see where he is at today.”
The 24-cap Navidi can cover the entire back row, but the blindside flank would probably be his likeliest position at present.
In his absence, either Aaron Wainwright or Ross Moriarty would occupy the No.6 jersey against France.
Jenkins also confirmed that Liam Williams needed game-time after not playing since March and only once since the World Cup. He has been out with a foot problem recently.
“We’ll see how he goes. He probably does need game time, there’s no doubt,” said Jenkins.
“I see quite a few members of our squad who can play minimal or no rugby, but turn up and win a Test match. Liam would be in that category. He’s a world-class player as far as I’m concerned.
“Whether he is involved on Saturday will be another thing, but he is a class act and he is one of those guys who could step if he needed to.”
Jenkins added that young uncapped winger Louis Rees Zammit had been making his mark and doing well in training.
“He is doing really well, impressed with him in training. Louis is working hard. We are getting him working, chasing kicks. He has played some good rugby before coming in,” he said.