Six Nations 2023: Wales trio in fitness race for tournament start

Josh Navidi, Owen Watkin and Dillon Lewis were all given their first Wales caps during Warren Gatland's first era in charge

Wales trio Owen Watkin, Dillon Lewis and Josh Navidi face a race to prove their fitness ahead of the Six Nations opening game against Ireland.

Returning Wales coach Warren Gatland has other injury concerns ahead of the start of the tournament on 4 February.

Dragons lock Will Rowlands and Ospreys fly-half Gareth Anscombe have been ruled out of the tournament with shoulder injuries.

Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit is also a fitness doubt.

Prop Lewis, 27, suffered a knee injury and only has an outside chance to be fit for Cardiff's United Rugby Championship (URC) game against Leinster on 28 January.

That is the final weekend of action before the Six Nations starts.

"Dillon is still braced up, he's a good bit off," said Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young.

"The best picture for Dillon is he plays against Leinster at the end of this block.

"But realistically that'll be too early for him. He's not in the latter stages of rehab yet and that'll determine whether he kicks on really quickly or at a steady pace.

"If it's not the last game of this block, it'll be the middle of the Six Nations block."

Flanker Navidi, 32, has not played since Wales' summer tour of South Africa because of a neck injury and will return in the next four weeks.

"Josh is back in training this week, no contact," added Young.

"If he comes through the next fortnight to three weeks of training, as we get them back in quite early to be in with skills around the unit, maybe he'll do a little bit of contact next week then the week after could more or less be contact.

"It could be three to four weeks off playing if everything goes to plan."

Centre Watkin, 26, last played for Wales in mid November in the autumn international defeat against Georgia when he picked up a knee injury.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth says Watkin is not back in training and will be touch and go whether he features for his region before the Six Nations starts.

Fellow Ospreys centre George North is recovering from minor facial surgery but will not feature in the United Rugby Championship (URC) home match against Leinster on 7 January.

"George is getting closer, he did rugby training this week which is great," added Booth.

"It is just about him being confident but it is great to see him back out there."

Ospreys flanker Dan Lydiate is sidelined with a broken arm until February and Scarlets prop Samson Lee is a long-term casualty with an Achilles problem, while Cardiff centre Willis Halaholo is not expected to return until March with a hamstring problem.

Dragons lock Ben Carter and Scarlets trio Wyn Jones, Johnny Williams and Josh Macleod are also battling to be fit for the start of the tournament.

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