Dewi Lake: Wales hooker injured days before Warren Gatland names Six Nations squad
- Published
Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake receives treatment after coming off against Perpignan
Wales hooker Dewi Lake has given Warren Gatland a Six Nations injury scare after hobbling out of Ospreys' Challenge Cup win against Perpignan.
Wales captaincy contender Lake suffered a hamstring injury in the opening five minutes of the 25-3 victory.
Scarlets centre Johnny Williams is facing a ban after being sent off in the 38-17 defeat at Clermont-Auvergne.
Sam Costelow failed a head injury assessment (HIA) while Josh Macleod was forced off with a knee injury.
Macleod's injury is another blow to Gatland's back-row options with captain Jac Morgan already out of the Six Nations, also with a knee problem.
Taine Plumtree has also been ruled out, Christ Tshiunza is a doubt with a foot problem and Taulupe Faletau's return has been put on hold until February by his club, Cardiff.
However, wing Josh Adams should be available for Wales campaign according to Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt, despite the 28-year-old missing the 54-15 Champions Cup thumping by Harlequins.
"He had a couple of issues with his knees, there's nothing structural, so nothing that is going to keep him out of the Six Nations," said Sherratt.
"He's just had some swelling in his knee and he didn't have full range in it so it was best he missed this [game] for him really, for his next couple of weeks."
Lake, 24, was playing out of position at flanker because of an Ospreys back-row injury crisis.
Head coach Gatland, who was watching in the Swansea stands, names his Six Nations squad on Tuesday with Wales opening their campaign on 3 February against Scotland in Cardiff.
"He felt a pop in his hamstring and we erred on the side of caution," said Ospreys head coach Toby Booth.
"Hopefully it will be a low grade so a couple of weeks but it will depend on what it is [but] there is definitely something there and you never know until you see.
"He walked off the pitch and was considering whether he would continue, so we made that decision.
"You are aware of your body and if something does not feel quite right or makes a sound, you need to make a decision about whether they can continue or whether they are at risk.
"Sometimes you have to protect the player from themselves."
Gatland is looking for a new skipper for the Six Nations following the expected loss of Morgan.
Lake captained Wales against Georgia and Portugal at the World Cup while Ospreys teammate Adam Beard and Exeter second row Dafydd Jenkins also contenders.
Lake had been forced into back-row emergency action for Ospreys because Morgan, Justin Tipuric, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris, Rhys Davies and Tristan Davies are all injured.
Ospreys centre George North was also a late withdrawal against Perpignan but that was because of illness, while second row James Fender was forced off with what looked like a shoulder problem.
Josh Macleod has twice been capped by Wales
Macleod was helped off the pitch at Stade Marcel Michelin an hour into Scarlets' loss at Clermont-Auvergne.
It is just the latest blow for the 27-year-old, who was part of Gatland's World Cup training squad before being ruled out by a shoulder injury and had only recently returned from an ankle issue suffered in November.
Head coach Dwayne Peel: "It was a blow. Josh has injured his knee and, right now, it doesn't look too good. We'll wait and see but it's really disappointing for him. He's an exceptional player who leads by example."
Fly-half Costelow is set to miss next week's final Challenge Cup match against Edinburgh, the last match before the Six Nations, having failed his HIA while wing Tom Rogers is also to be assessed.