James Hook could miss Wales' summer tour © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Gareth Delve | Warren Gatland | James Hook

Teams: Wales

James Hook could miss Wales' summer tour to New Zealand in order to undergo surgery on a long-standing shoulder injury.

The versatile back, currently Warren Gatland's starting outside-centre, will be ruled out for up to five months by the surgery, leading to a debate about the timing of the operation. Should it be delayed until after Tests against the All Blacks and South Africa in June, Hook will almost certainly miss Wales' packed November schedule.

"James has had the problem for a while and he needs surgery," Gatland said. "I talked with the Ospreys earlier in the season about whether it would be best for him to have the operation before the start of the Six Nations, but they wanted him to be available at the end of the season and I could understand that.

"He will be out of action for between three and five months, and we have to consider whether he should be operated on before or after the New Zealand tour. We and the Ospreys have had to manage him in terms of contact, and it is testament to him that he has had an excellent season."

Cardiff Blues centre Tom Shanklin will not tour due to injury and Gatland also faces a tough decision over veteran flanker Martyn Williams, who could be rested. His Blues team-mate Sam Warburton is the obvious stand-in but Gatland wishes to take his strongest squad. There will be no place for Gareth Delve, who has signed a deal with the Melbourne Rebels Super 15 side, although Gatland did not rule out calling on the No.8 at the 2011 World Cup.

"It was pretty disappointing that he turned down the chance to move back to Wales," he said. "He will not be available for next year's Six Nations, and as far as the national squad goes he has pretty much ruled himself out.

"He knew what was at stake, but decided that he had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the Super 15 and you cannot blame him for that. He would be someone to call on during the World Cup , and we will certainly have an eye on him then, but otherwise it will be difficult because he will be so far away."