Injury boost for Evans

Evans: injury boost

Ospreys have been given a welcome fitness boost with the news that the ankle injury Ian Evans sustained is not as serious as first feared.

The second rower fell awkwardly after a line-out in the Welsh region's 22-10 Magners League defeat at Munster on Saturday.

He subsequently received lengthy treatment on the field and it was initially thought he could face another extended spell on the sidelines.

The 25-year-old's career has been blighted by injuries since he suffered a cruciate ligament injury against New Zealand in 2008, and he then tore a tendon in his chest not long after returning to action for Swansea in the Welsh Premiership in October 2009.

However, worries that Evans, capped 12 times by Wales, could be ruled out for a long period have been eased after an MRI scan.

Ospreys physio Chris Towers explained: "Ian sustained an injury to his left foot and ankle in the Munster game and although he is in a fair bit of discomfort at the moment, his scan has shown that the injury is a fairly diffuse issue.

"Basically, he's sustained grade-one damage to a lot of soft tissues in the foot and ankle, so the prognosis is a lot better than originally feared.

"We hope to see a fairly steep recovery once this acute phase of the healing process starts to settle over the next week or so."

Evans appears likely to miss Saturday's league clash with Aironi but it is hoped he will be available for the start of the Ospreys' Heineken Cup campaign.