Gatland forced to deal with more World Cup injuries

Wales boss Warren Gatland looks set to summon further World Cup reinforcements this week after being hit by fresh injury problems.

Two weeks after star pair Leigh Halfpenny (knee) and Rhys Webb (foot) were ruled out of the tournament - then Halfpenny's replacement Eli Walker was sidelined by hamstring trouble - Wales' luck shows no sign of improving five days before tackling World Cup hosts England at Twickenham.

Centre Cory Allen looks certain to miss the rest of the competition. He suffered what Gatland described as "a significant tear" in his hamstring during an umimpressive 54-9 Pool A victory over 5,000-1 World Cup outsiders Uruguay.

Allen had earlier become only the fifth Wales player to score a World Cup hat-trick of tries, but he limped off in agony. Tyler Morgan or James Hook are now seemingly in the frame as possible replacements.

Full-back Liam Williams, playing his first game since the end of last season due to foot trouble, picked up a thigh injury, while Paul James and Samson Lee experienced tight calf muscles, with their fellow prop Aaron Jarvis suffering rib damage.

Mike Phillips and Ross Moriarty had already been drafted into Gatland's 31-man squad, and it now looks as though two more players - a back and a front-row forward - could follow.

"Cory's got a significant tear in his hamstring, and at this stage it looks like he will definitely need to be replaced," Gatland said. "But he will be scanned on Monday.

"Liam has got a knock on the thigh and I've spoken to the medics to get an update, but they said it will take 24 hours to make an assessment.

"We may have to make a tough decision in terms of the props. We only had three that could take the field, and we have to have four. We may have to make a difficult call and replace one of the props."

Wales prepared for the World Cup with gruelling training camps in Switzerland and Qatar, but Gatland added: "Sometimes you just get bad luck, and we've had that at the moment. That happens at this level.

"You can't blame the preparation on Leigh and Rhys getting injured - they're just unlucky. We are happy with how we prepared, but we've picked up a few knocks and that's sport."

Wales, fielding a largely-shadow XV, scored eight tries - Allen's treble, two for scrum-half Gareth Davies, plus touchdowns by Lee, Hallam Amos and Justin Tipuric - while fly-half Rhys Priestland kicked seven conversions.

But next Saturday's England showdown will be light years away from Wales' opening game stroll in terms of intensity, and Gatland said: "It will be a mental and physical battle, and we have to prepare for that.

"It is going to be tough with the crowd and the atmosphere."