Wayne Pivac insists Leigh Halfpenny is “very, very close” to playing again as Wales ponder their options for the Guinness Six Nations blockbuster with England in Cardiff on Saturday.
The 30-year-old full-back this week passed 100 days on the sidelines since suffering a concussion in last autumn’s Test against Australia.
He was released back to the Scarlets by Wales last week but didn’t play against Benetton, with a Welsh Rugby Union statement explaining that he wasn’t considered for the match.
But Robin McBryde said earlier this week Wales were hopeful the 84-cap player would be fit for this weekend and Pivac sounded a cautiously optimistic note about his general condition, too.
You can read the latest live updates from the Wales camp here .
Asked should there be concerns over Halfpenny’s future, the Scarlets boss and Wales coach-elect said: “I can’t answer that.
“What we’ve seen is that he’s very, very close to playing.
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“He wasn’t ready to play last week — as simple as that.
“The medical guys just determined he wasn’t ready and he’d be better off missing that game.
“He’s very close and we don’t expect him to be too far away.”
Wales will assess Halfpenny in training.
He was injured when the Australia centre Samu Kerevi clattered into him while attempting to charge down the Welshman's clearance.
The resulting concussion has been reported as Halfpenny's fourth in six years.
If he is deemed fit then the question becomes whether he is sufficiently match-sharp to figure in the heat and intensity of a Wales-England game or whether he would be better off easing his way back with a run-out for the Scarlets, who face the Cheetahs at home on Sunday.
The back three has been a strength for Wales so far in this championship, but Halfpenny’s excellence under the high ball, his ability to read play and his world-class goal-kicking would mean he would be likely to merit consideration by the Wales selectors if given the all-clear.
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