(Reuters) - Wales prop Tomas Francis needs surgery to repair a shoulder injury he suffered at the Rugby World Cup, Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has said, ruling him out of the start of Wales' Six nations title defence.
The 27-year-old sustained the injury during their semi-final defeat to South Africa in Japan and is likely to be out of action for up to four months.
"After two or three scans it became clear that Tom needs an operation to repair the shoulder injury he picked up with Wales at the World Cup," Baxter said in a statement https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/prop-pieretto-signs-for-the-chiefs.
He added that they signed Argentina's Enrique Pieretto until the end of the season as cover.
Wales, who won the Grand Slam earlier this year, begin their Six Nations campaign against Italy on Feb. 1.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)