Wales: Leigh Halfpenny and Tommy Reffell ruled out of Argentina encounter

Colin Newboult

Wales' Nick Tompkins, Tommy Reffell and Rhys Priestland react during the Autumn International match at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Picture date: Saturday November 5, 2022.

Wales have confirmed that they will be without Leigh Halfpenny and Tommy Reffell for Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series clash against Argentina.

The 33-year-old full-back pulled out before the game with the All Blacks due to a hamstring issue while the flanker sustained a rib complaint during the 55-23 defeat.

But in more positive news, defence coach Gethin Jenkins has announced that wings Alex Cuthbert and Josh Adams are back in training and should be available for this weekend’s match.

Mixed news on injury front

“Leigh is not going to be available this week, and Tommy won’t be available,” Jenkins said.

“They are the only two, I think, at the moment that are fully ruled out for the weekend.

“They’re (Cuthbert and Adams) back training today. They’re back involved with stuff. Well, Alex trained last week but it was his first week for a long time so that’s the reason he wasn’t involved. We needed to ease him back into it.”

Halfpenny has not played for the national team for well over a year after suffering a horrendous knee injury while playing for Wales against Canada in July 2021.

He was initially named in the line-up for the encounter with New Zealand but had to pull out late on due to a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Reffell impressed in South Africa and lined up alongside Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau in the back-row for the recent clash in Cardiff.

Dan Biggar opens up on Toulon move

Another Welsh player currently on the sidelines is fly-half Dan Biggar, who has used his time away from the pitch to complete a deal to join French club Toulon with immediate effect.

The move came as a shock for many, but Biggar stated that it was too good an opportunity to turn down.

“This opportunity may not have been there in six months time. I think it was one I had to grab,” Biggar told Rugby Union Daily.

“To play for a team of Toulon’s stature and pedigree, it is a little bit like if a Real Madrid or a Barcelona came calling for you in football.

“Northampton have been absolutely brilliant in terms of the way they conducted themselves through all of this.

“They have been without doubt the best seasons of my career, professionally and personally, I have absolutely loved it there. I can only say good things and thank them for the years I have been there.”

Biggar is looking forward to the chance of experiencing the Top 14, both in terms of the quality on the field and the atmosphere off it.

“I have always wanted to play in different leagues and experience different countries so I am very excited for the family,” he said.

“I think my wife is most excited about house shopping!

“I watched Toulon play Montpellier [on Sunday]… and at a 9 o’clock kick-off on a Sunday night, it was like an international.

“You put in how amazing a place Toulon is, the weather, the culture, but then you top it off with the main point of it, the atmosphere, the stadium, the fans are absolutely crazy for it.

“I cannot wait to do that walk for the first time.”

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