Ben Carter: Dragons and Wales lock set to be missing up to four months
- Published
Dragons lock Ben Carter has played 11 internationals for Wales
URC: Sharks v Dragons (Sat) |
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Venue: Kings Park Stadium, Durban Date: Saturday, 25 November Kick off: 17:15 GMT |
Coverage: Live on S4C and via iPlayer. Match report and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app. Highlights on Scrum V, Sunday, BBC Two Wales and online, Sunday, 26 November from 18:00 GMT and later on demand. |
Wales lock Ben Carter faces a lengthy period on the sidelines after suffering a "severe hamstring tear" in the Dragons 20-5 United Rugby Championship win over Ospreys.
Carter, 22, will see a specialist and is expected to be out for between three and four months.
That will make Carter a major Six Nations doubt.
The lock missed out on World Cup selection but started Wales' uncapped victory against Barbarians in November.
Wales open the 2024 Six Nations campaign against Scotland in Cardiff on 3 February.
"It's a severe hamstring tear and we are probably looking at three or four months," said Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan.
"He was jackaling and it's a horrible mechanism for a tall man like Ben over the ball. The stretch of his hamstring was not nice to watch.
"He is meeting a specialist in London to see exactly what we need to do but it is a long-term injury.
"It's a shame for Ben, he has got the work rate of two men and it's important that whoever replaces him brings the same work rate in attack and defence.
"A Ben Carter is needed in every team, that second row who just keeps working and working so that other people can flourish.
"The difference to a back doing it is that they are fast-twitch, but Ben is a young man and we just need to get this right for the longevity of his career.
"This is an opportunity for Ben to have a rest, recover, learn a bit more about the game and physically develop."
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