The Wales rugby skipper Matthew Rees has been ruled out of the World Cup after failing to fully recover from a persistent neck injury.
It is another blow for Wales after the news that Gavin Henson will be sidelined for the start of the campaign and is likely to miss the entire tournament after undergoing surgery on a dislocated bone in his right wrist.
Scarlets hooker Rees has been undergoing intensive treatment with the aim of managing the injury, but it has now been decided he will undergo surgery.
