The first cracks in the pack came when 81-cap British and Irish Lion loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins was ruled out of the entire championship with a toe injury.

And disaster struck on the other side of the front row for Gatland over the Heineken Cup weekend when tighthead Jones went the same way as Jenkins, picking up an elbow injury in Ospreys clash with London Irish.

Jones suffered his injury when a scrum collapsed in the first half and Ospreys coach Sean Holley painted a fairly grim picture of the extent of the problem.

“He felt he could not continue because it was affecting his lifting at the lineout and his scrummaging,” said Holley.

“Adam has strained left elbow ligaments but it is too early to say how serious it is.

“There will be further investigations.”