Wales prop Samson Lee a doubt for Rugby World Cup

Wales head coach Warren Gatland rates Samson Lee's chances of playing in the World Cup this year as no better than "50-50" after he suffered an Achilles injury in the weekend win over Ireland.

Scarlets tighthead Lee was carried off inside the opening 15 minutes of the 23-16 victory at the Millennium Stadium.

He saw a specialist in London on Monday for a full assessment of the injury and was told he had sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon.

If he’s up and running and things go well he won’t be far away

Ospreys prop Aaron Jarvis will replace Lee for Saturday's Six Nations appointment with Italy in Rome, with loosehead Rob Evans taking over from Gethin Jenkins, who has a hamstring problem.

Wales face hosts England, Australia, Uruguay and Fiji in their World Cup pool in the competition - the South Americans up first on September 20 in Cardiff.

“He’s 50-50 to make the World Cup,” said Gatland. "It's going to be long-term - could potentially keep him out of the World Cup.

"He was going to be operated on yesterday, but he's got too much swelling, so they are waiting until next week.

"We have the two warm-up games against Ireland, home and away (in August), and then we have got Italy after the World Cup squad is announced. So look, if he is up and running and in contention and things go well, he won't be far away.

"Whether we take the risk in naming him without too much rugby, that is potentially a possibility. Really, it's just down to the medics.

"For everyone with that sort of injury, it can be two or three weeks either side. I think he is a 50-50 chance at this stage.

"It's a full rupture, which sometimes is a little better than a tear that rehabs and takes a lot of time. At least we know what it is, and hopefully we can get it right and we can see him back on the field as quickly as possible."