Wales hooker Huw Bennett to miss autumn internationals

Huw Bennett

Wales hooker Huw Bennett is set for a further spell on the sidelines, ruling him out of the autumn internationals.

The 29-year-old missed the end of last season after having surgery on an Achilles tendon injury, which he picked up playing for Wales against Scotland.

Bennett has been told he will need another operation that could rule him out of action for up to six months.

The hooker left the Ospreys at the end of last season and signed a two-year contract with Lyon.

Wales start their autumn campaign against Argentina at the Millennium Stadium on 10 November.

Stand-in coach Rob Howley will also lead Wales against Samoa on 16 November, before Warren Gatland returns for the games against New Zealand on 24 November and Australia on 1 December.

Gatland, who has not led Wales since undergoing surgery on his broken heels, is set to be appointed British and Irish Lions coach in early September for the 2013 tour to Australia.