Welsh Rugby
Surgery success for Rees
ESPNscrum Staff
August 25, 2011
Wales' Matthew Rees chats to assistant coach Neil Jenkins, Wales training session, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Wales, November 10, 2010
Rees would have captained Wales had he managed to recover from the neck injury © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Matthew Rees
Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup
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Wales and Scarlets captain Matthew Rees has undergone successful neck surgery and will be out for up to ten weeks.

The British and Irish Lions hooker's hopes of leading Wales to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand were shattered when he failed to overcome a persistent neck injury and was ruled out of the global showpiece last week.

"The operation went very well," Scarlets head coach Nigel Davies told BBC Sport. "Matthew is very good and we are hoping he will be available within eight to 10 weeks."

Rees had undergone intensive treatment and pain-killing injections in a bid to prove his fitness for the tournament. But he was unable to take part in the successive warm-up games against England and Wales coach Warren Gatland revealed that he had been in severe pain and in need of an operation immediately.

Rees hopes to return for the west Wales Pro 12 league derby when his Scarlets visit the Ospreys on November 5. The following week the Scarlets begin their Heineken Cup campaign against Castres.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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