WALES coach Warren Gatland has warned Leigh Halfpenny’s participation in the World Cup is in the balance.

The 22-year-old Cardiff Blues winger is currently wearing a protective boot after an operation on his troublesome left foot.

Halfpenny had an injury-plagued season with both club and country but was still named in the 45-man preliminary squad for September’s tournament.

The 19-times capped speedster has plenty of work to do if he is to make the final cut for New Zealand.

However, in his favour is the fact that Wales do not have a wealth of back three options.

Lee Byrne, George North, Shane Williams, Morgan Stoddart, and Aled Brew are the only other specialists in that area with James Hook and Rhys Priestland providing emergency full-back cover.

“Leigh is going to be touch and go for the World Cup squad,” said Gatland. “He is training pretty hard and is a player that we will give as much time as we can to because the back three is one area where we don’t have a massive amount of depth.

“We have a lot in the front row and the back row but we may have to make some allowances in the backs, particularly for somebody like Leigh.”

Wing Shane Williams (knee) and props Gethin Jenkins (foot) and Craig Mitchell (shoulder) are back in training and working their way back towards full fitness.

The squad head to Spala in Poland today for a rigorous training camp and Gatland is promising a tough time.

He said: “Players have had a bit of a shock about how hard they are working so far and Poland is going to be incredibly tough.

“Martyn Williams rang Simon Shaw (who played under Gatland at Wasps) and he told him it will be the hardest thing he will ever do but that the gains and benefits will be immense.”