Jones ready to answer Wales SOS in front row
LIONS loosehead prop Wyn Jones may have to cover tighthead against Australia as Wales face up to a front-row injury crisis.
WillGriff John is set to miss out after taking a bang to the head against Fiji, while Tomas Francis is also a doubt after suffering concussion ahead of the game.
As for those tightheads with Test experience who could, in theory, be called up to the squad, Samson Lee and Leon Brown are both out injured.
So that leaves Dillon Lewis, who himself is only just back from a foot problem, as the only fully fit specialist No 3.
Wyn Jones is on standby to cover tighthead should Francis and John both be ruled out, with Lewis then the man to start in the scrum cornerstone position.
Meanwhile, lock Will Rowlands is set to miss out after a HIA, so it will come down to a choice between Seb Davies and rookies Ben Carter, Christ Tshiunza and Rhys Davies as to who should partner Adam Beard in the second row.
It’s hoped that wing Josh Adams (calf) and No.8 Aaron Wainwright (shoulder) will be fit to face the Wallabies, although a decision will be left until late in the day.
The same goes for Tomas Francis, leaving the propping situation up in the air.
Forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys said: “We’ve had Wyn Jones who covered tighthead in the last World Cup, so we would be in that situation if it comes that way.
“The people outside who could possibly be called in are all injured as well.
“It’s one of those. It’s a testing time. In terms of resources, we’re probably as deep as we can go.
“It is what it is. I’m sure we’ll find a way to find a way to fight our way out of it.
“In regards to the two HIAs (Rowlands and John), they are following protocols but it’s unlikely they are going to be right.
“Tomas Francis is again following protocols. We are a bit more hopeful on that.
“Hopefully Josh Adams is going to be right. It will probably be a last minute clearance on that, but hopefully he’s going to be right.
“With Aaron Wainwright, it’s going to be a late call on it, but he’s made significant improvements so hopefully he will be involved.
FORWARDS coach Jonathan Humphreys has been giving the latest news from the injury-ravaged Welsh camp ahead of Saturday’s game against Australia.
He’s also delivered his assessment on the autumn campaign so far.
Here’s what the former hooker had to say as he prepares for the Principality Stadium clash with the Wallabies.
Question: Can you give us the latest injury news?
Jonathan Humphreys: In regards to the two HIAs (Will Rowlands and WillGriff John), they are following protocols, but it’s unlikely they are going to be right.
Tomas Francis is again following protocols. We are a bit more hopeful on that.
Hopefully Josh Adams is going to be right. It will probably be a lastminute clearance on that.
Q: What’s the situation with Aaron Wainwright after his shoulder problem? JH:
Again, it’s going to be a late call. He’s made significant improvement so hopefully he’ll be involved at the weekend. Our week has been tailored to trying to get as much petrol in the tank as we can for the weekend. There has not been a lot of physical stuff so the call on him will be made later on in the week.
Q: So there are lots of question marks then?
JH: The whole campaign has sort of been like that. You can look at it and clearly we would have wanted more people available to us, but from my point of view it has turned out very similar to last autumn, where we found out a lot about people. There have been a lot of positives.
Ellis Jenkins coming back three years to the day really added to our strength in that area, where we were probably missing seven other people to that point. He’s been excellent.
Taine Basham has been a massive positive for us, and then you look at Rhys Carre, who has been very positive for us, and Ryan Elias. They are people who I believe have come through very strongly, and it has been really positive.
Q: What about the situation at tighthead prop now?
JH: All the way through this, there has been a lot of stuff there and that’s fine. It has made us work harder.
I thought Dillon Lewis was incredible at the weekend, going on and playing 75 minutes after he