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Steve Tandy has lost another player to injury ahead of this summer’s busy campaign
Cardiff captain Liam Belcher has been withdrawn from Wales’ summer squad after failing to recover from a neck injury.
The hooker picked up the injury in Cardiff’s URC quarter-final defeat to the Stormers last month. However, just hours before Steve Tandy names his first team of the summer ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Barbarians, Wales confirmed that the 30-year-old has been released from the squad.
An update issued by the Welsh Rugby Union on Thursday morning said: “Liam Belcher has been withdrawn from the squad and will miss Wales’ matches this summer due to a neck injury sustained during Cardiff Rugby’s BKT URC quarter-final.”
With captain Dewi Lake, Ryan Elias and Evan Lloyd still in the squad, Wales will not call up a replacement for the Cardiff skipper.
Ironically, the next cab off the rank – Dragons hooker Elliot Dee – will be lining up against Wales this weekend, having been named in the Barbarians starting side for the match in London. You can follow the team announcement here.
Belcher, who made his Wales debut on the tour of Japan last summer, has gone on to win five caps to date.
After being used as a replacement in Kitakyushu and Kobe, Belcher has made further cameos against Japan, Argentina and England under Tandy.
This isn’t the first player Tandy has lost to injury this summer, with Keiron Assiratti and Louie Hennessey having already been ruled out.
This isn’t Belcher’s first neck injury of the season, either.
Back in November, he was released from Wales’ autumn squad with a “scary” nerve issue.
Later, he would reveal that he had lost power in his arm.
The latest injury blow came after guiding Cardiff to their first play-off appearance in the URC.
Ultimately, it was short-lived – with Cardiff knocked out in the quarter-finals following a 44-21 defeat in South Africa.
However, the top eight finish did secure Champions Cup rugby for Corniel van Zyl’s side ahead of next season.
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