SCARLETS hooker Ken Owens faces a 12-week layoff because of a neck injury – ruling him out of Wales’ autumn internationals.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury at a scrummaging session in Llanelli last week ahead of the Guinness Pro12 encounter with Treviso.

Scans have revealed a disc problem and specialists have advised he goes under the knife early next week, ruling him out of action until late December.

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac said: “Ken had been playing well but the focus now is to get see him through the surgery and get him back here with us for rehabilitation.”

Owen was Warren Gatland’s first-choice hooker against South Africa in the summer and was set for an autumn battle with Richard Hibbard to get the nod in Wales’ Tests against Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa.

The Gloucester man is now likely to face competition from Cardiff Blues skipper Matthew Rees and Ospreys front rower Scott Baldwin, although 20-year-old Dragons hooker Elliot Dee could be a dark horse after making a bright start to the campaign.