WALES are in danger of being hit by an unprecedented No.10 crisis for the All Blacks Test in Cardiff next month.
The Six Nations champions fear they will be without as many as four fly-halves – Dan Biggar, Callum Sheedy, Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Patchell.
Biggar and Sheedy are already non-starters because of the Premiership's refusal to release players for out-of-window internationals.
Concern is growing that the October 30 All Blacks fixture will come too soon for Anscombe and Patchell, two long-term casualties. Ospreys insist Anscombe is on track but one source said yesterday his comeback remains ‘weeks away'.
Anscombe, Wales' No.1 fly-half by the end of the 2019 Grand Slam, has been out of action for more than two years.
Patchell made his last start in the World Cup third-place decider against New Zealand in November 2019.
As if he hasn't suffered enough, the Scarlets' playmaker is back on the casualty list with a thigh problem. The Scarlets say they are unable to put a date on his return. The same applies to the Ospreys and Anscombe.
Rhys Priestland could suddenly find himself in pole position. His move to Cardiff after four productive seasons at Bath frees him from the 60 cap rule.
Wales' other two capped tens – the Dragons' Sam Davies and Cardiff 's Jarrod Evans – have identical Test records, eight appearances but only two starts. Davies made his last one in Samoa four years ago, Evans his against Argentina two months ago.
