Wales suffer Byrne blow

Lee Byrne
12 April 2012

Wales and Lions full-back Lee Byrne will miss the opening three Tests of next month's autumn campaign against Australia, South Africa and Fiji.

Ospreys star Byrne fractured the third metacarpal in his right hand during Sunday's Magners League clash against Glasgow.

The Welsh Rugby Union say Byrne has "an outside chance" of being available for Wales' autumn finale against New Zealand on November 27.

Cardiff Blues back Chris Czekaj has been called into the squad as a replacement for Byrne, while Scarlets back-row forward Rob McCusker has withdrawn from the squad to undergo a hernia operation.

Cardiff Blues wing Leigh Halfpenny, a possible full-back alternative to Byrne, is awaiting the result of a scan on an ankle problem, while back-row forward Ryan Jones will undergo a calf muscle scan.

Blues scrum-half Richie Rees and lock Bradley Davies, meanwhile, face checks on what are described as minor injury concerns.

Wales kick off the autumn series against Australia in Cardiff on November 6.

"Lee Byrne will be given a specialist opinion on whether the injury is treatable with a cast," said Wales team physiotherapist Mark Davies.

"If that is the case, rather than surgery, he will have an outside chance of being back for the All Blacks game."

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