Wales: Wing George North could switch to centre - Dwayne Peel

George North and Jamie Roberts toured with the British and Irish Lions to Australia in 2013

Veteran Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel says wing George North has the capability to switch to centre for the autumn Tests to cover for injuries.

Jonathan Davies suffered a shoulder injury in Clermont Auvergne's European Champions Cup win over Sale.

Fellow centres Scott Williams and Cory Allen were also hurt with Jamie Roberts the only fit centre.

"He has got the qualities to play there," Bristol's Peel said of North moving to centre.

"If needs must and he has to go in there then so be it I suppose," added Peel, 33, who won the last of his 76 caps in 2010 and who is not in the current Wales squad.

"But he will be thrown in a position that he hasn't probably played a lot of rugby.

"Whether it's a gamble or not I don't know and it will be probably be down to how he's feeling about it."

The Wales squad are meeting on Monday ahead of the four-Test autumn series, which begins against Australia on 8 November in Cardiff.

Dwayne Peel played in two Grand Slam campaigns for Wales in 2005 and 2008

North scored four tries as Northampton Saints crushed Ospreys 34-6 in the Champions Cup.

In the same competition Davies was taken off in the 16th minute after helping create a try for Nick Abendanon in Clermont's 35-3 victory.

His former Scarlets team-mate Williams lasted only 20 minutes in the 15-3 win over Leicester before limping off with what regional coach Wayne Pivac described as a "tight hamstring".

Allen aggravated a muscle strain while helping Blues to a 33-18 win over Rovigo in the European Challenge Cup.

"There's some key players there and form players as well," said Peel.

"They'll be disappointed but it will come down to the severity of the injuries and whether they were precautionary or serious.

"We'll have to wait whether they will be fit for the first or second game but hopefully they'll play some part in the autumn if they're not right for two weeks' time.

After taking on Australia on 8 November, Wales have matches on consecutive weekends against Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa.

Peel says the loss of the centre partnership of British and Irish Lions pair Davies and Roberts would be a particular blow to head coach Warren Gatland.

"It's a partnership that's been together for a couple of years so it will be disappointing for the squad ."