Owens in line for Baa-Baas challenge

Ken Owens is to be offered the chance of breaking new ground on his long-overdue return to the big-time this autumn.

The Lions hooker, about to enter the final weeks of a 13-month fight to save his career, is wanted by the Barbarians for their match against the All Blacks at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on November 13.

The invitation will be issued subject to WRU approval. Owens, alias ‘The Sheriff ‘, is due to be given the all-clear within the next fortnight to resume full-scale training with the Scarlets.

Back problems over a prolapsed disc have forced him to miss all 12 Wales internationals in the 12 months since his last Test appearance, for the Lions in South Africa.

He has not played a match of any kind since the Scarlets’ 50-point hammering by Leinster last October.

They hope he will be back in action sometime next month. Whether he does so in time to prove his readiness for Wales duty without further delay is another matter entirely.

With another World Cup on the horizon, they will be reluctant to rush Owens back too soon. At 35, the man himself has learnt from personal experience not to tempt fate by naming a date for his return, saying only: ‘“When I’m back, I’m back.”

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