Dewi Lake: Wales Six Nations blow as hooker and captain out for up to 12 weeks

Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias was Lake’s deputy during the autumn internationals but has missed the last three weeks because of a neck injury, with his region hoping he might be fit for mid-January.

Cardiff’s Evan Lloyd was also in the Wales squad in November, while Dragons hooker Elliot Dee made his first appearances of the season in the defeat against Cardiff on 26 December after recovering from an ankle problem.

One hooker who says he is still available for Wales is Lake’s Ospreys team-mate Sam Parry, who left the national training squad in June in controversial circumstances.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland says he did not mean to “disrespect” Parry after the 33-year-old chose to leave the squad before the summer international against South Africa at Twickenham and two-Test tour of Australia.

Parry’s decision came after being told by Gatland he was a fringe member of the party when the squad came together and he was only going to be acting cover for Wales’ other three hookers.

Gatland claims he was being honest with Parry about where he stood in the Wales pecking order.

Parry maintains he still has international ambitions.

“I’m available,” said Parry. “I’d love to [play for Wales] but whether the people that pick it see it like that, I don’t really know. But I’m available and hopefully if I perform good enough, we’ll see what happens.

“I focus on myself and playing for the Ospreys. As soon as you get caught up in thinking if I’ve got a chance here or if I’m going to get picked, it doesn’t happen.”

When asked directly what happened in the summer, Parry replied: “It’s one of those things. That was this summer.

“What happened, happened. People view it differently. They’re entitled to their opinions. That’s gone now. It is a new season and a fresh start.”