Rob’s injury boost

SCARLETS and Wales prop Rob Evans has been handed some positive injury news after a scan on his damaged shoulder revealed that he doesn’t need surgery.

Evans left the field in the first half of the Scarlets’ Guinness PRO14 win over Leinster on Saturday, prompting fears that he could face a lengthy lay-off which would rule him out of Wales’s forthcoming autumn series However, the injury is not as serious as suspected and the 26-year-old loose-head could be back in action in two to three weeks’ time.

“There’s some good news. Rob is a bit sore with his shoulder but there is no surgery required, which is very pleasing,” said head coach Wayne Pivac. “Rob will hopefully be back in two to three weeks with any luck.” With Evans out for a few weeks, the imminent return of fellow Wales loose-head Wyn Jones is timely. Jones hasn’t played since damaging a calf muscle on Wales’s summer tour but could be back against Benetton at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.

Johnny McNicholl (neck) and Jake Ball (Achilles) are training after picking up knocks against Leinster, although Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies (hamstring) will be rested again.

Pivac added: “We’re not rushing Jon, we want to get him 100% right. There’s a lot of big rugby coming up and we’re doing okay in that position (centre) at the moment.

“Wyn Jones trained fully yesterday and if he comes through scrums today he’ll be back in contention for the weekend. Uzair Cassiem is back running and is just around the corner to make a return.”