KEVIN Morgan (pictured) is a major doubt for the World Cup and his career could even be in jeopardy.
The Swansea full-back was carried off on a stretcher in the second-half of Wales' game against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
He suddenly twisted his suspect knee as he was running and collapsed in a heap without being challenged.
There did not seem to be any bang or touch on the player as he went past Scotland's Scott Murray just after the hour mark of Wales' awful performance which saw them finally crumple into a heap themselves, losing, to a side which failed to score a try in three hours before Saturday's match, by 30-22.
The picture of Morgan, though, was of someone in considerable pain. As soon as he went down inside his own 22 after passing the big Scottish second row, his face was twisted in agony as he flexed his right knee while his left leg lay prone on the ground.
Medics attended immediately to the player and spent quite some time getting him stable before taking the distressed man off the pitch and into the medical room underneath Murrayfield for an initial inspection of the damage.
After the game, Morgan's knee was swollen up like a balloon.
"It's a bad one," admitted Wales coach Steve Hansen after the match.
"He'll be out for the rest of this season and the summer tour (Wales visit New Zealand and Australia) and possibly the World Cup.
"He's done his knee again, and it's a great shame for him."
Morgan will have a scan as soon as possible, but there are fears the knee will have to be reconstructed in much the same way as Newpoort centre Jason Jones-Hughes' was.
That kept him out for over a year, and Morgan is now facing the same kind of torment having already been out for three months this season with knee ligament damage.
The new blow to Morgan should now mean that Cardiff's Rhys Williams, on the wing against Scotland but who took over at full-back when Morgan went off, is expected to return to the number 15 jersey against Ireland next week, with either Mark Jones going to the wing or former Newport player Matthew Watkins drafted in for his first start for Wales.
l Wales women narrowly missed out on a second win in the Six Nations yesterday as they lost 8-9 to Scotland in Edinburgh.
Winger Hayley Baxter put Wales ahead in the first half, after running from the Welsh 22 to score. Fly Half Awen Thomas added a penalty before the break leaving the visitors 8-0 up at half time.
But the second half saw Scottish scrum half Paula Chalmers kick three penalties to edge out Wales 8-9.
Wales now face Ireland at the Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, February 21. (KO 5pm). Tickets £5 Adults Under 16s and OAPs free.
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