Wales call up Scarlets’ Plumtree for Italy test

Men’s Six Nations: Italy v Wales

Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Date: Saturday, 8 February Kick-off: 14: 15 GMT

With concerns over center Owen Watkin and injured number eight Aaron Wainwright continuing, Wales has named Taine Plumtree as a Scarlets back row.

Plumtree will join the squad&nbsp, in Nice before they travel to face Rome in Italy next Saturday.

WillGriff John, a sale prop, returns to the south of France training camp after recovering from a head injury.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has not given an official release date for a potential playing return, while Wainwright and Watkin have not.

Despite the pair suffering what appeared to be serious injuries in Wales’ 43-0 defeat by France in Paris on Friday night in the tournament opener.

Wainwright, the eighth Dragons player, suffered a facial injury in the fourth minute, but neither did a concussion or a facial fracture.

Wainwright and Taulupe Faletau, the other specialists in the first squad who had a knee injury, will serve as cover for Plumtree and Faletau.

Tommy Reffell, a Leicester flanker, replaced Wainwright in Friday’s game, with James Botham switching to the eighth-ranked player.

Plumtree left the squad at first after appearing in the autumn series against South Africa, where he packed down at number eight.

Wales can still use the likes of Nick Tompkins, Ben Thomas, Eddie James, and Joe Roberts despite not having any center cover drafted in.

Max Llewellyn, the Gloucester center, and his club teammate Gareth Anscombe are both still on call, according to this.