Six Nations setback for Leigh Halfpenny

Wales are set to be without full-back Leigh Halfpenny when they kick-off Six Nations 2019 on February 1 after he was ruled out by the Scarlets.

Halfpenny has been suffering with the side-effects of a blow to the head against Australia in November 2018 and will miss up to five weeks.

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac confirmed the news about the 30-year-old, who’s now likely to miss the Six Nations opener against France.

“Leigh has seen the specialist and will not be used for the next three to five weeks,” Pivac told Press Association Sport regarding his full-back.

“He will continue training and doing what he has been doing, and then he will be reassessed.

“It will be somewhere between three to five weeks, but these things take time.

“We will pass on the medical information to the Welsh Rugby Union. That will then be Warren’s [Wales coach Warren Gatland] call as to what he does because the tournament runs for longer than that.”

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Pivac added: “He’s running, he’s training, and from time to time I think he’s been having bouts of [headaches].

“He’s as frustrated as anybody is, but his health and well-being comes first.

“Lots of players have come back from concussion before. Justin Tipuric and Aaron Shingler have had spells out and both those players have returned to the top of their game at some point.”