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Leigh Halfpenny to miss start of Six Nations due to concussion symptoms

Leigh Halfpenny (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Wales will have to do without Leigh Halfpenny for the start of the Guinness Six Nations.

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The full-back is suffering from concussion symptoms. The full-back sustained the issue after a tackle by Samu Kerevi during a 9-6 victory over Australia on November 10, a challenge which Warren Gatland criticised in the aftermath.

Wales play the Six Nations opener on February 1st, in a Friday night match, but Halfpenny won’t be available for that according to his Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac.

“Leigh has seen the specialist and won’t be used for the next three to five weeks,” Pivac said.

“He’ll continue training and doing what he’s been doing, and then he will be reassessed. It will be somewhere between three to five weeks, but these things take time. That’s the time frame we’re looking at. Leigh won’t play before that time, that will be the earliest.

“We will pass on the medical information to the Welsh Rugby Union.

“That will then be (Wales coach) Warren’s (Gatland) call as to what he does because the tournament runs for longer than that.

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Watch: RugbyPass series – Beyond 80 – takes an unflinching look at the reality of concussion in rugby.

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“He’s running, he’s training, and from time to time I think he’s been having bouts of (headaches).

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“When the medical team tell us he is ready to go then that will be a boost for the squad.”

“He’s as frustrated as anybody is, but his health and wellbeing comes first. Lots of players have come back from it (concussion) before.

“Justin Tipuric and Aaron Shingler have had spells out and both those players have returned to the top of their game at some point.

“There’s no reason why that won’t happen with Leigh.

The Scarlets have struggled in Halfpenny’s absence, they’re out of the Heineken Champions Cup having lost all four matches. They face Leicester Tigers with third spot in Pool 4 the only realistic target.

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AM 44 minutes ago
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That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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