Costelow out for season facing Wales fitness race

Fly-half Sam Costelow will miss the rest of the Scarlets' season because of ankle surgery and faces a race to be fit for Wales' Nations Championship campaign in July.

Costelow suffered the injury during Wales' Six Nations defeat against Scotland in Cardiff in February which forced him to miss the final two games of the tournament.

The 25-year-old had been recalled to start against the Scots and was impressive in the narrow defeat before being forced off injured. Ospreys outside-half Dan Edwards returned for the rest of the competition.

Costelow will be absent for the final four games of the Scarlets' season in the United Rugby Championship (URC) which finishes in mid-May.

He now faces a battle to be fit for Wales' summer programme which starts with the uncapped international against Barbarians at Twickenham on 27 June.

That game will be followed by the Nations Championship opener against Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, 4 July.

Steve Tandy's side then travel to face Argentina in San Juan on 11 July and South Africa in Durban seven days later.

Wales hooker Dewi Lake will also miss the rest of the season and is a doubt for the international summer campaign.