Wales Six Nations blow as hooker Lake out for up to 12 weeks

Wales have injury problems at hooker for the 2025 Six Nations with captain Dewi Lake ruled out for up to three months.

The 25-year-old has had bicep surgery, with Ospreys head coach Mark Jones stating before Christmas the front rower would be out for "months rather than weeks".

Wales open their Six Nations campaign against France in Paris on 31 January and finish at home against England on 15 March.

Jones has now given a more accurate 12-week time frame which will rule Lake out of at least the first half of the tournament and probably the whole competition, unless he can beat the worst-case diagnosis.

"I think 12 weeks was the high end of it [time frame]," said Jones.

"We know the operation went well; there is nothing to suggest he can't beat that target.

"I know Dewi and the quality of the rehabilitation out there now. He has an awesome mindset and is a great professional.

"I texted him over Christmas and he is set on getting that [time frame] as low as he can."

Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias was Lake's deputy during the autumn internationals but has missed the last three weeks because of a neck injury, with his region hoping he might be fit for mid-January.

Cardiff's Evan Lloyd was also in the Wales squad in November, while Dragons hooker Elliot Dee made his first appearances of the season in the defeat against Cardiff on 26 December after recovering from an ankle problem.

One hooker who says he is still available for Wales is Lake's Ospreys team-mate Sam Parry, who left the national training squad in June in controversial circumstances.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland says he did not mean to "disrespect" Parry after the 33-year-old chose to leave the squad before the summer international against South Africa at Twickenham and two-Test tour of Australia.

Parry's decision came after being told by Gatland he was a fringe member of the party when the squad came together and he was only going to be acting cover for Wales' other three hookers.

Gatland claims he was being honest with Parry about where he stood in the Wales pecking order.

Parry maintains he still has international ambitions.

"I'm available," said Parry. "I'd love to [play for Wales] but whether the people that pick it see it like that, I don't really know. But I'm available and hopefully if I perform good enough, we'll see what happens.

"I focus on myself and playing for the Ospreys. As soon as you get caught up in thinking if I've got a chance here or if I'm going to get picked, it doesn't happen."

When asked directly what happened in the summer, Parry replied: "It's one of those things. That was this summer.

"What happened, happened. People view it differently. They're entitled to their opinions. That's gone now. It is a new season and a fresh start."

The form and leadership of Lake, who has missed the last two Six Nations tournaments because of injury, has been one of Wales' few positives over the past six months.

He was given the captaincy for the summer tour of Australia and kept the role for the autumn internationals as Wales lost against Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

Gatland, who will remain in charge despite leading the national men's side to 12 consecutive Test defeats, will have a look at other captaincy contenders and hooker options before naming his squad in mid-January.

They include Ospreys skipper Jac Morgan, who was co-captain with Lake during the 2023 World Cup, while Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins - who has just returned from injury - led Wales during the 2024 Six Nations tournament.