RHYS Patchell will be a conspicuous absentee tomorrow when Wales name their first squad since winning the Six Nations.
The 28-year-old fly-half’s exclusion from next month’s matches against Canada and Argentina will further delay his Test return for another six months, until the autumn home series against New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji and Australia.
By then, Patchell will not have started an international for two years, the bronze medal decider against the All Blacks at the last World Cup.
A shoulder operation followed by concussion and, most recently, hamstring issues have prevented him...