Barry Davies won one Wales cap as a replacement against Ireland in 2006

Ospreys full-back Barry Davies has been ruled out for two to four weeks following keyhole surgery to repair a groin injury.

The 28-year-old summer signing from Brive had the operation on Friday and is set to return in the new year.

Davies joins Ryan Jones, Duncan Jones, Shane Williams, Mike Phillips, Gavin Henson and fellow full-back Lee Byrne out of action for the Welsh region.

Gareth Owen was in the full-back position in their Viadana win.

Ospreys physio Chris Towers said: "Barry has failed to recover from a groin problem which has prevented him from training fully in recent weeks, through conservative treatment.

"So a decision was made in his best interests to opt for surgery.

606: DEBATE How big a blow is Barry Davies' injury to the Ospreys?

"It was not a major procedure, and with an aggressive rehab programme over the next couple of weeks, he is only likely to be unavailable for selection for a period of two to four weeks."

Number eight Ryan Jones (back), prop Duncan Jones (foot), wing Williams (hamstring), scrum-half Phillips (ankle), centre Henson (indefinite unpaid leave) and Byrne (foot) all missed Saturday's 62-7 Heineken Cup win at Italian club Viadana.

Now Davies has added to Ospreys coach Scott Johnson's injury crisis but he does have Bowe and James Hook, who played at full-back for Wales in the autumn internationals, as ample cover for the one-cap Welsh international.

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