Dafydd Jones has been sidelined since playing for Wales in November

Scarlets and Wales back-row Dafydd Jones has undergone a second operation on the shoulder injury that ruled him out for most of last season.

Jones, who turns 31 this month, is expected to be out for another four months, although he hopes to return by October for the Heineken Cup campaign.

"Obviously it is really frustrating for me that I'm going to be out for a bit longer," said 42-cap Jones.

"But there was no real option for me but to have this second operation."

Jones suffered his original injury coming off the bench for Wales in their loss against New Zealand at the beginning of November.

Injuries have plagued his career and Jones also missed Wales' June 2006 tour to Argentina after surgery on another shoulder problem.

The Aberystwyth-born player admitted his frustration at the latest set-back, but said that his ultimate goal was to get back to the form he was showing at the start of last season in readiness for the 2011 World Cup.

"It's been disappointing of course to have picked this injury up when things were going so well but the region has been great and really supportive to me and I will be repaying that back on the field when I return," Jones added.

We've got a great team building down here at Parc y Scarlets Back-row Dafydd Jones

"To have it done in the off-season meant that I would miss the shortest amount of playing time next season.

"I've got all the motivation I need to get back to fitness as soon as I can with the World Cup coming up and just look forward to playing back with the Scarlets boys again.

"We've got a great team building down here at Parc y Scarlets and hopefully by doing well for the Scarlets, I'll be back for Wales as well."

Scarlets only qualified for next season's Heineken Cup thanks to Cardiff Blues winning the Amlin Challenge Cup and gaining Wales an extra place.

Tuesday's draw gave the Scarlets a relatively good draw in Pool 5, although they still have tough games against Leicester, Perpignan and Benetton Treviso.

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