Rugby World Cup: Wales reeling from losing Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb on tournament eve

JAMIE Roberts has underlined the collective pain felt by Wales’ World Cup squad after Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb suffered tournament-ending injuries.

CARDIFF, WALES - MARCH 14: Leigh Halfpenny of Wales kicks a penalty during the RBS Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland at Millennium Stadium on March 14, 2015 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

CENTRE Jamie Roberts has underlined the deep sense of collective pain felt by Wales’ World Cup squad after Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb suffered tournament-ending injuries.

As if their Cup prospects weren’t tough enough, grouped in a pool which includes Australia and England, Roberts says that fullback Halfpenny faces six months out of the game following the knee injury sustained during last Saturday’s final World Cup warm-up Test against Italy.

Scrum-half Webb, meanwhile, was hurt earlier in the same match, suffering a serious foot injury that also looks set to sideline him until next year.

Leigh Halfpenny is stretchered off against Italy.

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Wales are barely a week away from their World Cup opener against Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium, and they must now move on, putting to one side the loss of two hugely-influential performers.

“It is hard to see your best mates injured badly,” 70 times-capped Roberts said.

“Watching that game last Saturday was horrible. To fall at the final hurdle is the cruellest thing imaginable. It is difficult, but we are a close-knit bunch and the core of the squad has been together for a while.

“Warren (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) has bred strength in depth to generate competition for places and drive everyone to become better players and better people, and he knows there is quality to come in.

“I was chatting to Leigh, who is out for six months, saying how he has to put a positive spin on his injury, as bad and brutal as it is.

“It is always a difficult conversation to have with a player, but he is old and mature enough to know it is part of the game. He has been walking around with a smile on his face and he just wants the best for the lads.”

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: Wales reeling from losing Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb on tournament eve