Liam Williams has emerged as an injury doubt for Wales’ clash against the All Blacks on October 30.
The two-time Lions full-back will also be missing for the Scarlets’ block of fixtures running up to Wales’ autumn campaign.
In his Tuesday press conference ahead of his side’s clash with Munster this weekend, Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel revealed Williams has recently had his appendix removed.
Peel also confirmed that the self-styled ‘bomb defuser’ will not see any game time for the Scarlets this month.
Williams could yet feature in the later autumn fixtures but will not have played a game since he featured for the Lions against South Africa on August 7.
“Liam unfortunately came down with appendicitis, so he’s had an operation,” said Peel.
“He won’t be available [to face Munster] because he’s had his appendix removed.
“He’s okay, he’s back in the club but it’s just unfortunate timing for him and us really. He’ll be out for this period.
“It’s not clear yet but I can’t imagine he’ll play for us in this block of games.”
When asked if Williams would be fit before October 30, when Wales face New Zealand, Peel said: “He won’t be fit for us, I don’t think, no.”
It creates a real issue for Wales boss Wayne Pivac, who is already heading into the game without front line players Dan Biggar, Louis Rees-Zammit, Taulupe Faletau and Callum Sheedy.
They are all absent because the Test is taking place outside the World Rugby window and all four are employed by English clubs, who are not required to release them.
Meanwhile, fellow full-back Leigh Halfpenny will be on the sidelines for some time yet after he suffered a knee ligament injury against Canada last summer.
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Ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Williams’ Wales team-mate Adam Beard was admitted to hospital with appendicitis and also had his appendix removed.
He went into hospital on September 11 but then flew out to Japan and returned to action for Wales in their final group game against Uruguay on October 13.
