Welsh Rugby
Peel losing fight for RWC place
ESPNscrum Staff
August 13, 2011
Sale's Dwayne Peel exploits a gap in the Leeds defence, Sale Sharks v Leeds Carnegie, Aviva Premiership, Edgeley Park, Stockport, England, March 25, 2011
Dwayne Peel's commitment to Sale Sharks could have cost him a place at the Rugby World Cup © Getty Images
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Dwayne Peel's chances of making Wales' squad for the Rugby World Cup are in rapid decline after it was revealed that the scrum-half is suffering from a double injury setback.

Wales attack coach Robert Howley has said that Peel is suffering from a ruptured finger and a hip injury, both of which were picked up when training with Sale Sharks.

Peel was unavailable for Wales' preparation for the World Cup until August 4, due to his contract with the Premiership club, and Howley is sceptical over the Sale scrum-half's chances of being named in Warren Gatland's World Cup squad.

"He ruptured his finger in pre-season," Howley told BBC Sport. "He's still in a splint, he hasn't done any contact work. As a result he has become unavailable to us really in terms of preparation for this [England] game."

Mike Phillips starts at scrum-half against England in Cardiff on this afternoon, as he did at Twickenham last weekend, while Tavis Knoyle gained the back-up role and uncapped Cardiff Blues youngster Lloyd Williams is also in the current squad.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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