Wales assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys has expressed sympathy for Leigh Halfpenny after the full-back's injury jinx struck again.
Halfpenny was due to win his 98th cap and make a first Wales start for 19 months in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Ireland at the Principality Stadium.
But the 34-year-old has been ruled out after suffering a back spasm and will be replaced by Cardiff’s Liam Williams.
Halfpenny has not started for Wales since he suffered a serious knee injury playing against Canada in July 2021.
He was due to feature against New Zealand during this season’s Autumn Nations Series but withdrew 24 hours before kick-off because of a hamstring problem. A back spasm then meant he missed Wales’ appointment with Australia in Cardiff three weeks later.
"I think it’s more disappointing for Leigh as a person," said Humphreys. "He is an unbelievable professional and an unbelievable person.
"He has got to pick himself up again. You feel for him that he’s got to pull out at this late stage."
Williams missed Wales’ entire autumn campaign because of injury and has not started for his country since last summer’s South Africa tour. He has only played 180 minutes of rugby this season.
But with 81 Wales caps under his belt and five British and Irish Lions Test match appearances, Williams' quality is unquestioned.
Wales, with Warren Gatland back at the helm, will go for a fifth successive Six Nations home win against Ireland.
But they must also somehow find a way of stopping a team ranked world No 1 following victories over New Zealand (twice), South Africa and Australia last year.
Humphreys added: "Gats has got tons of experience. He knows what he wants and to get coaches on the same page, how to go about tackling the best team in the world right now.
"We are about playing what is in front of us. I think that is key to any team.
"We have got to be very combative and very physical. If you are not against these, they can put you away very easy."
Lock Adam Beard, who is among six Ospreys forwards in the Wales pack, accepts the physical battle will be key.
"Make no bones about it, we are going to push them [at] set-piece time and we are going to go for them at the set-piece. We are looking forward to the confrontational battle," Beard said.
"He [Gatland] does a lot on emotions, and he is great at getting the guys up for a Test week.
"There are a lot of boys on edge around him because they just want to raise the bar and impress him.
"That is great for the squad because it brings competition for places. It has been a great week of preparation."
Wales: Liam Williams; Josh Adams, George North, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer; Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Ken Owens (capt), Tomas Francis; Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones; Jac Morgan, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell, Owen Williams, Alex Cuthbert.
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