Wales captain and Ospreys flanker Jac Morgan is likely to miss the 2024 Six Nations after undergoing surgery on a knee injury.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth confirmed last week that the 23-year-old was due to go under the knife to address the problem, and he conceded that Morgan was likely to endure a "long-term" recovery period.
Morgan's most recent appearance for Ospreys came in a Challenge Cup victory over Benetton on December 9, since when he has missed a 38-5 defeat to Montpellier on December 17 and a 25-11 United Rugby Championship success over Scarlets on Boxing Day.
Speaking to the media after his side's beating of the Scarlets, Booth announced that Morgan's operation had been a success, but the Wales skipper is highly unlikely to make a rapid recovery in time for the Six Nations.
"Jac had an operation this week so we wish him well of course and no one likes to see any player go through that," Booth said. "The operation was a success and it was the right thing to do because you don't know, even with all the best scans, until you actually get in there.
"It needed to be done so that's the best positive. He's a young man that heals quickly and would have loved nothing more than being out there today but the certainty about being a professional rugby player is you are going to spend some time injured, and that resilience gets tested.
"We'll look to get him better off the pitch so when he comes back which will probably be months not weeks he hits the ground running. Yes, for sure [he will struggle to make the Six Nations]."
Morgan started four of Wales' five matches at the 2023 World Cup, where he served as co-captain alongside Dewi Lake, scoring tries in pool-stage victories over Portugal and Australia.
Wales - whose most recent Six Nations triumph came in 2021 - begin their quest for 2024 glory against Scotland at the Millennium Stadium on February 3.
Ben Knapton
