Cardiff Blues can confirm that Wales and Lions Centre Jamie Roberts will undergo surgery to repair damage to his wrist.
Cardiff Blues can confirm that Wales and Lions Centre Jamie Roberts will undergo surgery to repair damage to his wrist.
Roberts has returned home from New Zealand where he was part of the Wales tour this summer having played in both tests against the All Blacks. The Cardiff University Medical Student had shown the kind of form that earned him the 2009 British and Irish Lions Man of the Series accolade.
Roberts is thought to have injured the wrist last summer while on that tour. Speaking of the injury Roberts said,
"I injured my wrist during the second test in South Africa last year summer. I had a couple of MRI scans which unfortunately didn't pick up the injury and it wasn't until the surgeon had a look with a camera into the joint at the end of the season that the full extent of the injury was diagnosed."
"Unfortunately it needs an operation to stabilize the wrist. I played all of last season with a lot of pain in my wrist and so it is logical to get it sorted as soon as possible.
"It's pretty disappointing to be missing more or less the first half of the season, but I will certainly use the time whilst injured to rid my body of any niggles I have and come back to the field in good knick and aim to lift more silverware with the Blues."
Speaking of the tour of New Zealand, Roberts said,
"I thoroughly enjoyed the tour, as players we want to be playing and testing ourselves against the best sides in world rugby and New Zealand is certainly a very tough place to play."
"Without a shadow of a doubt the squad benefited from the tour, by playing the best we get to know the standard of what's required to beat these teams. I was very happy to get two starts on the tour and was pleased with my own form. However, with the Rugby World Cup looming next year the squad know the intensity and the standard that's required."
Having won silverware with the Blues over the last two seasons nobody at the Blues are resting on their laurels and the ambition of the squad is to win more trophies.
"Obviously the aim for us at the Blues this year is to build on our achievements from last season. We certainly have the talent to be successful and I'm sure come the first match the boys will be ready to stamp their mark on what hopefully will be another successful season for us," added Roberts.
"The competition at Centre is very strong again this year, Casey Laulala, Tom Shanklin, Dafydd Hewitt and Gavin Evans are all quality players. Well all have our work cut out for sure and competition for places is certainly healthy amongst us."
Jamie Roberts was speaking at the photo shoot for the new Cardiff Blues kit for the 2010/11 season. The shirts will be available to purchase from the Cardiff City Stadium Store, the Arms Park Shop and the Cardiff Blues stand at the Royal Welsh Show on Monday 19th of July. However, supporters are able to place pre orders now on www.cardiffblues.com/shop or by calling 0845 345 1485 with guaranteed delivery by Monday 19th of July.