The Wales captain, Dewi Lake, is in danger of missing the Six Nations after having biceps surgery.

The injury occurred in training with the Ospreys before Christmas and on Monday the region’s coach, Mark Jones, was able to give a more accurate prognosis. He revealed the 25-year-old hooker could be sidelined for a long as 12 weeks, which would rule him out of the entire Six Nations.

Wales’s final game against England is scheduled for Cardiff on 15 March – but there is a chance Lake, who is also in contention for British & Irish Lions selection, will be fit before that.

“I think about 12 weeks was the high end of it,” Jones said of the player’s expected recovery time. “Knowing Dewi, and looking at the quality of the rehabilitation that’s out there now, all we know is the operation went well, and there’s nothing to suggest he can’t beat that target.

“Dewi’s got an awesome mindset, he’s a great professional. I texted him over Christmas and he’s right on to getting that down as low as he can.”

Warren Gatland’s side – who are on their worst-ever run of 12 consecutive defeats – begin their Six Nations campaign against France in Paris on 31 January, with hooker threatening to become a problematic position.

Ryan Elias is sidelined with a neck injury although the Scarlets coach, Dwayne Peel, told the BBC he hopes he will return in mid-January, while Elliot Dee of the Dragons has recently returned after an ankle injury.