Wales have avoided a potential scrumhalf crisis for their autumn Test finale against Australia at the Millennium Stadium but the news of Gareth Cooper's availability has been tempered by a knee injury to lock Ian Evans.
The 24-year-old Ospreys forward is likely to be out until next season after suffering cruciate ligament damage during the 29-9 defeat against New Zealand.
"Ian will probably have an operation in the next couple of weeks, and then we are looking at a recovery time of six to nine months," said Wales team manager Alan Phillips. "It is quite a blow. He has come on and started to play well for us. It is disappointing for him and his family."
If initial recovery forecasts prove accurate, then Evans will not only miss the entire RBS Six Nations campaign, but also any realistic chance of challenging for a Lions place on next summer's South Africa tour.
His Ospreys colleague Ian Gough or Newport Gwent Dragons' Luke Charteris look set to replace him against the Wallabies next Saturday, with Wales boss Warren Gatland announcing his starting line-up tomorrow.
Ospreys, who resume their Heineken Cup campaign in less than a fortnight's time, can now add 16 times capped Evans to a current injury list that includes the likes of Gavin Henson, Duncan Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Huw Bennett and Mike Phillips.
Gloucester scrumhalf Cooper will be on international duty - rather than in Guinness Premiership action - next weekend following talks between his club, the Rugby Football Union and Welsh Rugby Union.
Cooper is likely to retain the number nine shirt against Australia, with inexperienced Scarlets scrumhalf Martin Roberts providing bench cover.
Because the Australia game falls outside the International Rugby Board autumn Test window, players like Cooper and his Wales colleague, Sale Sharks scrumhalf Dwayne Peel, were subject to first call from their clubs.
Gloucester host Northampton next weekend, with Sale tackling Leicester on Friday night.
But discussions between WRU group chief executive Roger Lewis, RFU chairman Martyn Thomas and Gloucester chairman Tom Walkinshaw have resulted in Cooper being made available for Wales.
Had Cooper and Peel both been off limits, then newly-crowned International Rugby Board player of the year Shane Williams could possibly have found himself providing back-up to Roberts.
"It's great news about Gareth," added Phillips. "Roger (Lewis) has worked tirelessly in the background to sort it out for us. Rugby sense has taken over at last, and we are very happy."
