Scarlets face front row crisis
The Scarlets will have to head to Welford Road without four international front row men and two of their Test backs for their return Champions Cup clash with Leicester Tigers on Friday.
And to make matters worse for their New Zealand coach Wayne Pivac, they will also be missing Fijian wing Michael Tagicakibau and South African lock Joe Snyman for the vital Pool Three match.
Pivac read out his massive injury list at a press conference on Wednesday, detailing the problems he is having to deal with just as he tries to break his side's duck on the road this season.
Definitely ruled out of the game are Welsh hookers Ken Owens and Emyr Phillips and international props Samson Lee and Rhodri Jones.
The Scarlets have also lost former Wales Under-20 skipper and hooker Kirby Myhill.
Also unavailable this week are Wales fullback Liam Williams and scrumhalf Gareth Davies, both who picked up injuries in the defeat in Glasgow last weekend.
Williams has damaged a shoulder, but is expected to return for the round six game against Toulon, while Davies has aggravated the knee problem that kept him sidelined for three months.
"Samson Lee will be available for Welsh duties, but we won't see him for the Toulon game and don't expect to see him at the Scarlets until after the Six Nations," announced Pivac.
"As for Liam Williams, it looks like a one-week injury. It's a grade one AC joint, so Friday's game is just too soon for him. He just needed another two or three days but it has settled down nicely and he should be available for Toulon."
Pivac had hoped to get club captain Owens back after neck surgery around Christmas, but he is still recovering. He is now expected to be back in action for the Scarlets around 15 February.
To make matters worse for the Scarlets, last season's Wales Under-20 captain Steffan Hughes suffered a knee injury playing for Llanelli last week that could keep him out of action for a year, while full back Steffan Evans suffered a hamstring tear that will sideline him for three months.
On a more positive note, Pivac was at least able to announce that Wales forward Aaron Shingler has been passed fit to resume playing and that fellow back row men Jamie Davies and Rory Pitman are once again available. Wales wing Harry Robinson is also ready to return.
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