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Wales fly-half Sam Costelow is expected to be sidelined until January after suffering shoulder and hamstring injuries.<\/p>\n
Scarlets playmaker Costelow was hurt during Wales\u2019 49-26 victory over the Barbarians on Saturday and went off at half-time.<\/p>\n
He is a clear favourite to succeed Dan Biggar, who retired from Test rugby after the World Cup, in Wales\u2019 number 10 shirt.<\/p>\n
Wales kick off their Six Nations campaign against Scotland in Cardiff on February 3.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not expecting him in the short term,\u201d Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel told reporters ahead of Saturday\u2019s United Rugby Championship clash against South African side the Lions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be beyond Christmas, beyond the new year before we see him. I haven\u2019t an exact date. We are still waiting on the final prognosis and some specialist opinion, really, on that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a disappointing one for us because he is going to be out for the large part of the first half of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is loads more to come from him, and this is obviously a setback in his career at the minute to have this injury.\u201d<\/p>\n
Costelow impressed for Wales at the World Cup in France, starting the pool game against Georgia when Gareth Anscombe was a late withdrawal.<\/p>\n
And he is the latest member of that squad to be sidelined, with Exeter forward Christ Tshiunza suffering a broken foot on his return to domestic action and number eight Taulupe Faletau continuing his recovery from a broken arm sustained in the Georgia match.<\/p>\n
Wales, meanwhile, are without the Six Nations services of Anscombe and full-back Liam Williams, who will play domestic rugby in Japan next year.<\/p>\n