Many Welsh rugby fans are said to have panicked after Ospreys coach Toby Booth confirmed that Jack Morgan had undergone knee surgery and would struggle to make the Six Nations.

Morgan was Wales’ totem throughout 2023 and became the team’s spiritual leader. It is no exaggeration to say that the Ospreys’ outdoor defeat is a blow to Wales’ Six Nations chances.

But what will Morgan’s likely absence mean for Wales ahead of their opener against Scotland on February 3? rugby correspondent Stefan Tomás consider possible scenarios.

Wales need a new captain

Morgan led the Rugby World Cup and is a natural leader among men, so it goes without saying that Wales will miss Brynhamman’s leadership. With Davy Lake co-captaining Wales in France, it is natural to see the Ospreys hooker as the favorite to lead his country into the Six Nations.

The 24-year-old is an inspiring figure who leads from the front, but there is a catch. Ryan Elias was Wales’ first choice at the World Cup, so there is no guarantee that Lake will start.

Another option is experienced second-row player Adam Bird, who is highly regarded by Wales coaches. The beard is very popular in Wales and has had an active presence in the past.

Exeter Chiefs lock Dafydd Jenkins is another potential option. He may only be 21, but he has always captained Exeter and is another player for whom leadership comes naturally.

“One thing is that he works very hard, he is very diligent, he is very professional, he is very motivated to succeed and win and he has a good character to be a leader and captain,” Exeter director Rob Baxter said. rugby. . club website “I didn’t hesitate to make him captain when we formed the team and yes, we had some more experienced players.”

Gatland has never shied away from bold decisions and Morgan was just two years older when he took over the World Cup captaincy. Gatland will want leaders alongside him before the 2027 World Cup begins in Australia.

If you remember when England won the 2003 World Cup, Martin Johnson may have been captain, but there were plenty of players like Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill, Martin Corrie and Jason Leonard who could have stepped in. There is an opportunity to build something similar with Wales.

Who wears the number seven shirt for Wales in Morgan’s absence?

Leicester’s Tommy Raffel is the clear favorite for this honour. Morgan was in the spotlight last season, and rightfully so, but it’s easy to forget what a good player Raffel is.

In fact, there are aspects of your game that are better. Reffell is one of the best exponents of the breaking game in the northern hemisphere and possibly the best jacker in the Gallagher Premier League.

The 24-year-old has been a standout player for the Tigres for several seasons now, and a large part of his game revolves around Refell’s work on the counterattack. Raffell not only knows how to win turnovers, but also stops the opponent’s ball.

He has featured for Wales in the past, most notably in South Africa in the summer of 2022, helping the men in red win their first test match against the Springboks in the Rainbow Nation. Other potential options to play in Morgan’s absence are Thane Basham, James Botham, Josh McLeod and Ollie Griffiths, but the smart money is on Raffel to start against Scotland in early February.

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Last line balance

When choosing a kit, it is important to not only include the best players, but also to ensure the balance is right. Gatland himself has officially admitted that he wasn’t sure whether he was right at the back during Wales’ World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina.

In the absence of the injured Taulupe Faletau, Gatland understandably opted for the double side, opting for Reffel and his in-form captain Morgan to complement number 8 Aaron Wainwright. Although Raffell and Morgan are two standout players, Wales may have suffered from not having more size at blindside.

Wainwright was brilliant in that role until Faletau’s injury, but will likely be needed again in the eighth against Scotland as the Cardiff star is still recovering from a broken arm. Gatland could choose to go with Thane Basham to provide more carry options, or he could opt for the athleticism of Christ Tshiunza to provide some size at number six.

Another option could be to move a second row, such as Rhys Davies, Teddy Williams or Seb Davies, into the number six shirt to add extra strength to the back row. Davies, who is a safety, thrived on the Ospreys’ downside but doesn’t have the athleticism or intelligence of a natural defender.

Gatland could also keep Wainwright in check and boldly opt for the in-form Morgan Morris at number 8. Morris has consistently excelled for the Ospreys in recent years, but he is unproven at Test level and there are some in the game who doubt whether he is big enough to take the step.

But Morris has a well-rounded skill set that potentially mitigates his lack of size, and the 25-year-old is an explosive change-of-pace bringer at club level who is also effective at breaking. Dan Lydiat is another blindside option, but his 36 years could be against him.