Dewi Lake: Wales captain gives Warren Gatland a World Cup injury scare
- Published
Wales hooker Dewi Lake has made two starts and seven replacements appearances in his nine internationals
Captain Dewi Lake and back row Taine Plumtree have given Wales more World Cup injury concerns after coming off the field during Saturday's 19-17 defeat to England at Twickenham.
Hooker Lake left the field in the first half with a knee injury, while Plumtree suffered a shoulder issue.
Head coach Warren Gatland is due to name his World Cup squad on 21 August.
Hooker Ryan Elias and lock Dafydd Jenkins will be battling to be fit for the start of the tournament.
Gatland revealed Elias and Jenkins will both be out for about four weeks, with Wales opening their World Cup campaign on 10 September against Fiji in Bordeaux.
Jenkins suffered a knee injury in the 20-9 victory against England in Cardiff last weekend but does not require surgery and instead was given an injection, while Elias picked up a hamstring problem in the same game.
Hooker concerns
Lake had been given the Wales captaincy after Ospreys team-mate Jac Morgan had impressed leading the side last weekend.
He left the field after 26 minutes after injuring his knee at a ruck and Wales now have World Cup hooker fitness concerns with Elias also on the sidelines.
Lake was replaced by fellow Ospreys hooker Sam Parry, with Elliot Dee the other hooker in Wales' extended training squad.
Six Nations captain Ken Owens has been ruled out of at least the World Cup group stages with a back injury.
It was Lake's first international for 13 months after missing the 2022 autumn internationals and 2023 Six Nations through injury.
"He is pretty gutted and disappointed," said Gatland.
"He's gone to jackal on the ball, Owen Farrell has tried to roll him, and he's ended up landing on his leg.
"It's unfortunate and it looks like he's got a knee injury but we don't know the extent of it or how bad it is."
Swansea-born Plumtree, who only arrived from New Zealand in July after signing for Scarlets, was making his first start at number eight after winning his first cap against England in Cardiff last weekend.
Gatland is looking for other number eight options with Taulupe Faletau battling with a calf injury that has ruled him out of the three World Cup warm-up games, with South Africa next up.
Taine Basham, who replaced Plumtree, himself went for a head injury assessment after being the victim of a high tackle from England captain Owen Farrell, who was sent off for the challenge.
"I thought it was the right decision on the day," said Gatland.
"Hopefully for Owen's sake he doesn't get too long a ban because I think we need people like him in the game.
"He'll be a big loss for England if he does pick up a lengthy ban but given previous I'm not too sure what's going to happen but fingers crossed it's not too bad for him."
Faletau, Gareth Anscombe, Johnny Williams and Alex Cuthbert are other injury concerns for Gatland but the Wales coach insists the warm-up games are necessary.
"You need to be playing some rugby, we've got to make sure we're match fit in terms of the pressure we're going to come under," said Gatland.
"We're getting ourselves ready for the World Cup but it's also about finding out about players and when we do come to finally naming the squad."
