Wales prop Assiratti ruled out of summer series

Wales prop Keiron Assiratti has made 19 international appearances

Prop Keiron Assiratti has been ruled out of Wales' summer matches because of a calf injury.

The Cardiff tight-head suffered the injury during the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final play-off defeatagainst Stormersat the end of May.

It is a blow for head coach Steve Tandy who was already without Tomas Francis. who is being rested this summer, while Bath's Archie Griffin is missing after undergoing surgery.

Wales have not yet called up anybody officially to replace Assiratti, with uncapped Ben Warren one of three other tight-head props alongside Dillon Lewis. Sam Wainwright.

Assiratti. 28, is the second player to pull out of the squad afterBath back Louie Hennesseywas ruled out because of a shoulder injury.

Wales face four matches with the uncapped double-header against Barbarians on 27 June at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, followed by three games in the new Nations Championship against Fiji, Argentina. South Africa in July.

Tandy had initially named a 48-man squad. which has now been reduced to 46, with the party further cut after the Barbarians game.

Forwards (26):Rhys Barratt (Cardiff). Rhys Carre (Saracens), Nicky Smith (Leicester), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Liam Belcher (Cardiff), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Evan Lloyd (Cardiff), Dillon Lewis (Dragons), Sam Wainwright (Cardiff), Ben Warren (Ospreys), Adam Beard (Montpellier), Ben Carter (Dragons), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Olly Cracknell (Leicester), Kane James (Exeter), Harrison Keddie (Dragons), Alex Mann (Cardiff), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Ryan Woodman (Dragons).

Backs (20):Ellis Bevan (Cardiff). Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys), Tomos Williams (Gloucester), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), Eddie James (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Gloucester), Joe Roberts (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester), Ellis Mee (Scarlets), Blair Murray (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol), Tom Rogers (Scarlets).