Rugby:Shane Williams has emerged as the latest injury casualty of Wales' World Cup campaign. The dynamic Ospreys wing, Wales' record try scorer with 55 test touchdowns, is suffering from a muscle strain at the top of his leg.
Fullback James Hook (shoulder) and flanker Dan Lydiate (ankle) are both battling to be fit in time for Wales’ possible quarter-final clash against Ireland on October 8th.
Hook, Lydiate and now Williams could all miss Wales’ crucial Pool D finale against Fiji in Hamilton tomorrow week.
“We have had Shane scanned, and he has got a bit of a quad strain which we think he may have done against South Africa. We thought it was a haematoma, which is a knock, and he’s played against Samoa,” Wales coach Warren Gatland said.
“With Shane potentially being injured for next week, we need to look at the wing combinations. Shane might be a couple of weeks.”
Gatland, meanwhile, has made 11 changes to the starting line-up for Monday’s World Cup clash against Namibia at Stadium Taranaki.
Only centre Jonathan Davies, lock Alun-Wyn Jones, skipper Sam Warburton and number eight Toby Faletau remain from the side that defeated Samoa last weekend.
Stephen Jones and back-row forward Ryan Jones both return after recovering from calf muscle injuries. Scarlets playmaker Jones will win his 101st cap, breaking the Wales appearance record he previously jointly held with Gareth Thomas.
Wales:L Byrne (Clermont Auvergne); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), A Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons); S Jones (Scarlets), T Knoyle (Scarlets); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), C Mitchell (Exeter), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), A-W Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Replacements:K Owens (Scarlets), R Bevington (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), A Powell (Sale Sharks), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Priestland (Scarlets), G North (Scarlets).
