The Wales rugby coach Warren Gatland has been dealt an injury setback with the likely loss of lock Alun-Wyn Jones for next month's Millennium Stadium clash with the Wallabies.
Jones, a pivotal performer during Wales' successful Rugby World Cup campaign in New Zealand, will undergo surgery this weekend after suffering a foot injury during training with the Ospreys.
He did not travel to Italy with the Ospreys squad for Sunday's Heineken Cup fixture against Treviso.
The Wales hooker Huw Bennett is also out of the Treviso game.
He suffered a neck spasm during last Sunday's pool five victory over Biarritz.
Gatland is due to name a 26-man squad for the December the 3rd Test against Australia on Monday.
It is a quickfire rematch between the countries after Australia narrowly defeated Wales in the World Cup bronze medal match at Eden Park, Auckland just four weeks ago.
