Wayne Pivac has revealed how Josh Navidi is still not "quite himself" due to the concussion which has ruled him out of Wales’ entire autumn campaign.
The Grand Slam back rower has been sidelined since taking a blow to the head during an internal training game with Cardiff Blues in September.
It was hoped he would be available for the last couple of matches in the Autumn Nations Cup, which concludes for Wales with Saturday’s game against Italy at Parc y Scarlets. You can catch up on the Wales team news here.
But, once again, he is unavailable, having suffered a reaction to the work he has been doing in training.
It’s worrying news for the 24-cap breakaway forward, who will turn 30 later this month.
He now hasn’t played a game of rugby since August and it’s uncertain when he will return to action.
"That’s one that’s very disappointing, mainly for Josh,” said Wales coach Pivac.
"He’s very disappointed because he’s come through and has been able to train for the last three weeks,
"It’s just really been in the latter part of the week, with the accumulation of the training, where he’s just felt not quite himself and not 100 per cent.
"So we haven’t risked taking him to that last stage of going through the full contact.
"He will go back to club rugby and hopefully he will get cleared to play in the next week or two and we will see him back on the field.
"But he is disappointed and we are disappointed that he hasn’t got out there obviously."
Meanwhile, fellow Wales back rower Ross Moriarty is in a race against time to be fit for the Six Nations after undergoing surgery to rectify the ankle injury which has seen him miss out on the autumn campaign too.
Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan says Moriarty faces around eight weeks out, while he hopes to have him back in action by the end of January.
Wales’ opening Six Nations match is at home to Ireland on February 7.
