New Zealand vs Wales in the Bronze medal match takes place on Friday (9am kick off)
Wednesday 30 October 2019 08:34, UK
Wales full-back Liam Williams faces a lengthy lay-off after having surgery on an ankle injury suffered at the World Cup.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland says he believes the Saracens player could be out for up to three months with an ankle problem that required surgery.
The full-back was hurt during a Wales training session in Tokyo last week, and had an operation in London on Tuesday.
Williams was ruled out of the tournament and replaced at full-back by Leigh Halfpenny for the semi-final defeat against South Africa.
A three-month absence would sideline the 28-year-old from Saracens' Heineken Champions Cup pool games and a number of Premiership fixtures.
Wales, meanwhile, kick off their 2020 Six Nations campaign under new head coach Wayne Pivac against Italy in Cardiff on February 1.
"I think he had surgery yesterday," Gatland said. "I think it will be three months. That surgery takes about that long.
"If we had made the final, he would still be here with us. In fairness to Saracens, they had agreed that. But if we weren't, they wanted to get him back for surgery as quickly as possible."
Wales conclude their World Cup campaign by tackling New Zealand in the bronze medal match on Friday which will be Gatland's final game in charge.
