NAVIDI FACING RACE TO BE FIT FOR AUTUMN TESTS

JOSH Navidi is a major doubt for Wales’s autumn international campaign.

Flanker Navidi was forced to leave the field just eight minutes into his first appearance of the season on a night when Cardiff lost 29-19 at home to the Bulls.

He was hurt tackling opposing blindside Jacques du Plessis and it didn’t look good as he departed clutching his hands together with his right arm being supported by one of the medical team.

Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young revealed Navidi had hurt the same shoulder he damaged against London Irish in April, an injury which contributed to him missing out on selection in the Lions squad for South Africa.

As it turned out, he was called up as a replacement for the crocked Justin Tipuric and played in two of the games ahead of the Tests.

Now, on his comeback following his post-lions break, the 28-cap Grand Slam winner has suffered a fresh setback.

Young said: “It’s the same shoulder he has had an injury with previously.

“There is no prognosis on it yet. It will need to settle down.

“We won’t know for 48 hours, but Josh doesn’t come off very easily, so that’s the fearful factor. Fingers crossed it’s not as bad as first feared. But when you see Josh Navidi come off, you know he’s had a bump.

“He’s not one of these guys that comes off and is then training on Monday.

“He has had no luck with injuries. It’s terrible.

“The way he plays the game is right on the edge, physicality-wise. “He really chucks his body about.” Navidi was replaced by fellow Wales back-rower Josh Turnbull, who said: “It’s tough when you see someone of his calibre coming off the field because he’s an absolute quality rugby player.

“The last thing you want to see is someone as good as he is picking up an injury like that.

“But what I know about him is he will come back bigger, stronger and faster, as he has done previously whenever he has had an injury like this.”