Wales international lock Ben Carter sidelined by hamstring injury

Wales international lock Ben Carter is set to spend a lengthy period on the sidelines following a hamstring injury.

The 22-year-old sustained the injury during Dragons' United Rugby Championship derby game against Ospreys where he was seen leaving the field in the 12th minute.

Carter, who has made 50 appearances for the province will be consulting a specialist to undergo the extent of damage but head coach Dai Flanagan is expecting him to be out of action for between 'three to six' months.

"It's a severe hamstring tear and we are probably looking at three or four months," said Flanagan to the official website of the club.

"He is meeting a specialist in London to see exactly what we need to do but it is a long-term injury.

"It's a shame for Ben, he has got the work rate of two men and it's important that whoever replaces him brings the same work rate in attack and defence.

"A Ben Carter is needed in every team, that second row who just keeps working and working so that other people can flourish.

“He was jackaling and it's a horrible mechanism for a tall man like Ben over the ball. The stretch of his hamstring was not nice to watch,” he added.

“The difference to a back doing it is that they are fast-twitch, but Ben is a young man and we just need to get this right for the longevity of his career."

The injury could effectively rule Carter out of Wales' upcoming Six Nations tournament that kicks-off against Scotland in Cardiff on 3rd February. He did not make it to Wales' Rugby World Cup squad but started for the side in the game against Barbarians earlier in the month.