Welsh prop's season is over
Wales prop Aaron Jarvis will not play again this season, after suffering a knee ligament injury against the All Blacks, his club the Ospreys said Wednesday.
Jarvis sustained the problem during his side's 10-33 defeat against New Zealand last Saturday and Ospreys physio Chris Towers said surgery was now being discussed.
"We are currently in discussions with specialists to establish the best surgical option and timing of the surgery to ensure the best outcome," Towers said.
Cardiff Blues prop Scott Andrews came on for Jarvis against the All Blacks and will likely win a fourth cap when Wales play Australia on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Jarvis is the third Ospreys tighthead prop to suffer serious injury in the space of a month, with Adam Jones (knee) and Joe Rees (neck) also out and unavailable for the European Cup double-header with Toulouse.
The spate of injuries showed that the structure of the season needed to be changed, according to Andrew Hore, the Ospreys chief operations officer.
"We have now lost three senior tighthead props in the space of just a month, which is particularly bad news for us, coming at a time when our resources have already been badly hit through injury and just before our biggest games of the season so far, the back-to-back Heineken Cup matches against Toulouse," he said.
"The current season structure sees games in the top European competition go straight into a month of test rugby, and then back into Europe and the Welsh derbies, for a crucial month long period in December and January.
"Looking at the players we have lost through injury in recent weeks it's clear that the structure isn't working, for the national body nor the regional partners, and it needs to be looked at globally."
Hore added: "If ever there was a time which perfectly highlights the need for a structured, global season which protects our biggest assets, the players, and increases the value of domestic rugby by ensuring showpiece matches are played with the strongest squad available then this is it."
AFP