Cardiff captain Belcher out of Wales summer games

Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher has been ruled out of Wales' summer matches because of a neck injury.

Belcher, 30, was one of four hookers in the original squad named by head coach Steve Tandy alongside Cardiff club-mate Evan Lloyd, Scarlets front rower Ryan Elias and captain Dewi Lake.

Wales say Belcher suffered the injury during Cardiff's United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final play-off defeat against Stormers at the end of May and he has failed to recover in time.

No replacement has been announced with Dragons duo Brodie Coghlan and Elliott Dee, who will line up for the Barbarians against Wales this weekend, as potential options.

Cardiff captain Belcher is the third player to pull out of the summer series following injuries to Bath back Louie Hennessey and tight-head prop Keiron Assiratti.

Wales play Barbarians in a uncapped match at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday before three Nations Championship matches against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in July.

Head coach Steve Tandy will reduce his squad after the Barbarians match for World Rugby's new tournament.

Forwards (25): Rhys Barratt, Rhys Carre, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Ryan Elias, Dewi Lake, Evan Lloyd, Dillon Lewis, Sam Wainwright, Ben Warren, Adam Beard, Ben Carter, Dafydd Jenkins, Freddie Thomas, Teddy Williams, Ryan Woodman, James Botham, Olly Cracknell, Kane James, Harrison Keddie, Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright.

Backs (20): Ellis Bevan, Kieran Hardy, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Tomos Williams Sam Costelow, Dan Edwards, Jarrod Evans, Bryn Bradley, Ben Thomas, Joe Hawkins, Eddie James, Max Llewellyn, Joe Roberts, Josh Adams, Mason Grady, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Ellis Mee, Blair Murray, Louis Rees-Zammit, Tom Rogers.