Knee surgery rules Alex Cuthbert out of Wales' New Zealand tour

Cardiff Blues wing Alex Cuthbert will miss the rest of this season - and Wales' summer tour to New Zealand - after undergoing knee surgery.

The Blues said that 25-year-old Cuthbert, who is already sidelined due to a heel problem, had flown to Sweden for the knee operation.

Cuthbert will now begin a rehabilitation period that is expected to take 12 weeks.

Cuthbert, who has won 42 caps and started Wales' RBS 6 Nations games against France and England this season, suffered a heel injury during that campaign.

That was expected to sideline him for 10 weeks, so due to that length of time out, it was decided after consultation between the Blues and Welsh Rugby Union medical teams for Cuthbert to undergo surgery on a long-standing knee issue.

Blues head coach Danny Wilson said: "Alex was already out of action with a heel injury, and due to the length of time he was set to miss, the decision has been taken for him to also have surgery on his knee.

"Clearly, Alex will be disappointed to miss the end of this season with Cardiff Blues and the chance to go on the summer tour with Wales to New Zealand.

"However, this decision has been taken for his long-term health, and so we wish him well as he commences his rehabilitation."

Cuthbert, who has scored 15 tries for Wales, has struggled to find consistent form this season.

And although it was likely he would have made the Wales squad for a New Zealand trip that features Tests against the world champion All Blacks in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin, a starting place might have proved beyond him.