Williams out of Wales' tour

Testing times: Gatland's injury list keeps on growing

Warren Gatland has lost scrum-half Andy Williams for Wales' two-Test tour to South Africa.

Williams, 27, suffered a recurrence of a back problem he picked up in training and Gatland does not plan to replace him.

That leaves uncapped Warren Fury of London Irish as back up to Gloucester's Gareth Cooper, although Shane Williams could also be used at scrum-half.

Gatland is already without a number of key players for the tour as he prepares his squad to depart for South Africa on May 29.

Grand Slam winners Martyn Williams, Lee Byrne, Gavin Henson, Mike Phillips, Dwayne Peel and Alix Popham are all out.

And more recently hooker Huw Bennett added to Gatland's injury crisis by withdrawing after damaging ankle ligaments in Shane Williams' testimonial game last Saturday.

Bennett's Ospreys team-mate Richard Hibbard, 24, could be called up although a final decision has not been made yet.