Wales lock Adam Beard will be sidelined at the start of the 2025 Six Nations due to a knee injury. The Ospreys player sustained the injury during Wales’ 52-20 loss to Australia and has been ruled out for at least three months. As a result, he will miss Wales’ first two matches against France in Paris and Italy in Rome.
Beard will also be unavailable for Ospreys’ upcoming fixtures, including their European Challenge Cup campaign and the Christmas and New Year derbies. Ospreys head coach Toby Booth described the injury as a significant blow, acknowledging Beard’s importance to the team. However, Booth also highlighted the opportunity for other players to step up in Beard’s absence.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth mentioned that James Fender has returned to fitness, which is a positive development, and Rhys Davies is not far from returning as well. Booth stated that the team just needs to endure the situation for a little while longer.
Beard, who was the most experienced player in Wales’ autumn squad, was sent back to the Ospreys after sustaining the knee injury. He was forced to leave the field only seven minutes into the game against Australia.