Ospreys youngster to undergo knee op

The 21-year old will go in on Saturday for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and is facing a six-month lay off. The move to repair the damage and prevent further wear and tear on the joint has been made after discussions between the Ospreys medical team and the player, and the decision to operate has been made with his best long term interests in mind.

Ospreys Physio Chris Towers said today:

"The underlying ligament damage is a pre-existing condition which hasn't prevented him from functioning at the highest level despite being ACL deficient. As part of our routine checks, we have picked up the start of some cartilage damage, which has developed as a direct result of the ligament laxity.

"In light of the fact that he is playing and training at the top level of professional rugby, the medical experts have recommended the reconstruction in order to stabilise the laxity and offset further degenerative damage in the future. After the operation Ben will be looking at a six-month rehabilitation period, so we can expect to see him back in an Ospreys shirt in November, having made a full recovery from the surgery which will enable him to reach his full potential."

Lewis will be the fifth Osprey on the operating table this spring, following on from Mike Phillips, Gavin Henson, Lee Byrne and Andrew Millward.