Beard set to miss Wales summer programme as Morgan returns

Lock Adam Beard is set to miss Wales' summer matches because of an ankle injury but World Cup captain Jac Morgan is set to return to action this weekend.

Beard, 28, was injured during the Ospreys' 61-24 defeat by Bulls on 27 April after landing awkwardly from a line-out.

The British and Irish Lions lock has won 56 caps and has been a regular in Warren Gatland's Wales side during the 2023 World Cup and this year's Six Nations.

Wales play South Africa on 22 June at Twickenham before travelling to Australia in July for two Tests in Sydney and Melbourne and a game against Queensland Reds in Brisbane.

Morgan is being lined up for his first game of the year in Ospreys' trip to Leinster on Saturday. The flanker has not played since undergoing knee surgery last December.

But Ospreys say the back-row, who led Wales to the World Cup quarter-finals last year, is available for selection.

The return of his World Cup co-captains - alongside hooker Dewi Lake - will also be welcome news for Wales head coach Gatland, before the summer internationals.

Gatland was without both Morgan and Lake for the entire Six Nations when Exeter's Dafydd Jenkins took over the captaincy.

Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell wore Wales' number seven jersey, in a campaign that saw Wales finish bottom of the championship for the first time in 21 years.

Cardiff number eight Taulupe Faletau has been ruled out of Wales' summer programme following a shoulder injury just 30 minutes into his first appearance since the World Cup.