Cardiff captain Liam Belcher has been withdrawn from Wales' summer squad after failing to recover from a neck injury, the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed on Thursday morning. The hooker picked up the injury in Cardiff's United Rugby Championship quarter-final defeat to the Stormers last month.
Timing of the withdrawal
Just hours before head coach Steve Tandy is set to name his first team of the summer ahead of Saturday's clash with the Barbarians, Wales announced that the 30-year-old has been released from the squad. An update issued by the WRU stated: "Liam Belcher has been withdrawn from the squad and will miss Wales’ matches this summer due to a neck injury sustained during Cardiff Rugby’s BKT URC quarter-final."
No replacement called up
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 in line – 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.
Belcher's Wales career
Belcher made his Wales debut on the tour of Japan last summer and has since earned five caps. He appeared as a replacement in Kitakyushu and Kobe, and made further cameos against Japan, Argentina, and England under Tandy. This is not Belcher's first neck injury of the season; in November, he was released from Wales' autumn squad with a "scary" nerve issue that caused him to lose power in his arm.
Other injury setbacks
Belcher is not the first player Tandy has lost to injury this summer, with Keiron Assiratti and Louie Hennessey already ruled out. The latest injury blow came after Belcher guided Cardiff to their first URC play-off appearance, which ended in a 44-21 quarter-final defeat in South Africa. However, the top-eight finish secured Champions Cup rugby for Corniel van Zyl's side next season.
