Rhys Patchell has emerged as a Scarlets injury concern after impressing during Wales’ Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan.
The fly-half has faced a long-running battle with his confidence and has had to prove himself time and again on the international stage.
He deputised for Dan Biggar superbly during the global gathering, with his standout performance coming against Australia, when he came on with an hour to go and guided Wales to a crucial victory.
The 26-year-old started the bronze medal match against the All Blacks last night but, in his own words, got ‘melted’ in a tackle in the second half as he threw an offload.
Minutes later, he was forced from the field and will now have scans when the players arrive back in the UK.
“I got melted as I got the ball away to Beardy,” said Patchell.
“So I get back to Wales on Monday and I’ll have a couple of pictures on Tuesday.
“I’ve learned not to worry too much about these things until you have a full picture.
“Once we know, then the medics and myself will be able to work out a plan of action.
“I felt my shoulder hurt quite badly and we’ll see where it is. I don’t want to say too much at the moment.
“Hopefully it’s not too serious but it’s just rugby isn’t it?”
Patchell has had four concussions to deal with in the last two seasons and, at the end of last season, wasn’t being selected to start for the Scarlets.
It represented rapid decline for the man who returned from Wales’ summer tour to Argentina last summer as the top contender to Biggar’s No.10 jersey.
His place at this World Cup came about as a result of some misfortune for Gareth Anscombe, who suffered a knee injury in the warm-up matches that ruled him out of the trip to Japan.
But Patchell appears to have rediscovered himself in recent weeks and it bodes well for the future.
“Gats was the one who brought me back into the fold these past two years,” he said.
“The way that he has gone about his business, certainly with me, for the past 12 months has been amazing.
“I’m very grateful to him for the way that he has brought it out of me, that I can still do it at this level after a couple of nasty blows to the head.”
When asked for his favourite memories of this trip, he said: “Just getting here.
“If you’d have told me 10 months ago that I would be involved in a World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed you. I was a long way off it.
“Getting here was massive for me.
“Off the field, probably seeing my family out here, actually.
“They’ve given up an awful lot and my girlfriend has also given up an awful lot for me to be able to chase this.
“To be able to stand there tonight and say thank you was big.”
