Wales hooker Ken Owens to miss autumn Tests due to 12-week absence

The Scarlets have confirmed that hooker Ken Owens is expected to be on the sidelines for 12 weeks as he requires surgery on a neck injury.

The 27-year-old will miss Wales's Autumn Internationals after suffering the injury during a scrum session in training earlier this month.

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac told the club's official website: "It's a shame for both Ken on a personal level and the team as a whole that he will require surgery on the injury he received earlier last week to his neck.

Head of performance Andrew Walker added: "Unfortunately Ken injured his neck in a training session a week last Tuesday. Following thorough investigations the scans have confirmed the he's injured a disc in his neck.

"After a thorough process, involving consultations with three neck specialists, we have decided that surgery is the best course of action."

Owens will go under the knife early next week.