Wales star Jonathan Davies ‘seems to be in a good place’ as he undergoes scans on the knee injury he sustained against Ireland.
That’s the verdict of forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys, who has provided a fitness update on the Welsh squad ahead of Saturday’s Autumn Nations Cup clash against Georgia at Parc y Scarlets.
Davies made his eagerly-awaited Wales comeback in the final match of the Guinness Six Nations against Scotland in October having spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury he sustained in the 2019 World Cup bronze medal match.
The 32-year-old was replaced by George North just before the hour mark during Friday night’s 32-9 defeat against Ireland in Dublin and Humphreys is hopeful this knock will not rule Davies out for long.
“Jonathan is in the process of having scans. Probably in the next 24 hours we’ll be able to identify how serious that knee injury is,” Humphreys said.
“He seems to be in a good place. And he’s up and walking about. He was keen to get games under his belt, so hopefully it’s not too serious and he’ll be back pretty quick.”
Wayne Pivac is expected to shuffle his pack for this weekend’s Group A clash and has added to his back-row options by calling up Cardiff Blues flanker James Botham.
He joins his clubmate Shane Lewis-Hughes in the squad, with Ross Moriarty and Josh Navidi continuing to be assessed on a daily basis.
“We’re monitoring Ross and Josh – it’s literally a day by day process with them,” Humphries said. “But their injuries have helped us look at other people.
“When we’re talking about the 2023 World Cup, perhaps Shane Lewis-Hughes wouldn’t have had his opportunity in this campaign otherwise. It’s been great looking at Shane and now Jim Botham.
“We do miss both Ross and Josh in terms of their personality and physicality in games, but it also gives us an opportunity to look at others.
“We identified James Botham in the derby games. Well, before that probably, but most memorably in the derby games.
“He had some big moments in those games and athletically he certainly has the ability to compete in international rugby. It was at point that we really identified him as someone who, going forward to 2023, would certainly be part of our plans.
“With the injuries we have had, and the uncertainty over some people being able to start on the weekend, it was a great opportunity to bring him in.”
Wales are hoping to end a six-match losing streak on Saturday against a Georgia side they have beaten on each of the two previous meetings between the countries.
And while Humphries was disappointed with his side’s first-half display in Dublin, he has taken heart from their improvement after the break and believes his side will soon turn a corner.
“It’s been frustrating, especially with the inconsistencies we showed in the first half in Ireland,” he said.
“But the positives were that we didn’t go into our shell in the second half and the execution was better than it had been in the first.
“As a group of coaches, we know where we want to get to and we know what it’s going to take.
“We’re trying to fast-forward some of the experience for the younger players, but there isn’t really a fast-forward button for that.”
