WARREN Gatland says that key tighthead Samson Lee is still ‘touch and go’ for the start of Wales’ World Cup campaign.
Earlier this week the Scarlets, the 22-year-old’s region, said that the front row forward was ‘ahead of schedule’ in his comeback from a ruptured left Achilles tendon suffered against Ireland in the Six Nations.
However, Wales boss Gatland admits he fears going into England 2015 without his first-choice number 3 with the possibility of going up against the hosts without Lee.
“He’s doing pretty well but it’s touch and go in terms of the World Cup squad,” said Gatland.
“We might have to take him as an injured player and hope he’s OK by the second or third game (Fiji).”
Lee is likely to be named in the final 31-man squad along with the Ospreys’ Aaron Jarvis and Exeter’s Tomas Francis with Cardiff Blues’ Scott Andrews another option after being called up to the extended training squad in place of the injured Rhodri Jones.
Full-back Liam Williams is likely to miss all Wales' warm-up matches against Ireland (home and away) and Italy (home).
The Scarlets ace missed the training camp in Switzerland while recovering from a broken bone in his foot but did travel to Qatar and is walking around pain-free.
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