Mike Phillips is recovering from cruciate knee ligament damage

Ospreys have again put back the date when they expect Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips to return to action.

Last month Phillips, 26, was told to pause his rehab from a long-term cruciate knee ligament after a scan.

That ruled him out of two rounds of the Heineken Cup on 12 and 18 October, but he now also misses the EDF Cup matches with Worcester and London Irish.

That means Phillips will have played no competitive rugby before Wales begin their Autumn Test series in November.

Wales face South Africa in Cardiff on 8 November, before Canada, New Zealand and Australia come to the Millennium Stadium on successive weekends.

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But his recovery has not progressed as hoped and Phillips will miss the Ospreys' opening Heineken Cup match at Leicester on 12 October, plus the home clash with Perpignan six days later.

The west Wales region will also be without Phillips for the EDF Energy Cup visit of Worcester Warriors, coached by former Wales boss Mike Ruddock, on 26 October and the trip to London Irish the following weekend.

That leaves the Ospreys short of experienced cover in the number nine shirt, after recent New Zealand recruit Jamie Nutbrown broke a bone in his foot.

Nutbrown is expected back in two months, so Rhodri Wells and teenager Rhys Webb are the only remaining specialist scrum-halves.

However, the Ospreys do have the option of using Wales and Lions star Shane Williams as a stand-in nine, with Scotland wing Nikki Walker and Ireland wing Tommy Bowe also on their books.