Powell on the rampage against the Wallabies at the Millennium Stadium © Getty Images

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Wales closing in on improved Test schedule

Andy Powell has described the last month as "the best four weeks of my life" after making his Wales debut and thrusting himself in contention for next year's Lions tour.

The Cardiff Blues No.8 was handed an international debut against the Springboks earlier this month and claimed the man of the match honour and was also in top form in yesterday's 21-18 victory over Australia.

The 27-year-old Powell said: "It was a great win at the end of the day. Everyone gave 100%, and we got the win we needed. I was blowing a bit in the first-half, I think everyone was. It was a proper Test match.

"It is massive for us. We said at the start of the autumn campaign that we had to beat one of the Tri-Nations teams, and we've done it. The boys have worked hard during the last four weeks, and it is a great credit to everyone involved.

"It has been the best four weeks of my life. To get that call to play against South Africa for my Test debut was something else. The body is aching a bit now, but it will be a day off on Sunday and then back into training on Monday."

Powell's next assignment is a Heineken Cup clash against French giants Biarritz on Friday night - but the Blues will be without his Wales colleague Jamie Roberts. Roberts was taken to hospital following a shuddering midfield collision with Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock.

Roberts, a 22-year-old medical student, sent a text message to his Wales team-mates from hospital, where he was detained overnight. The latest from the Wales camp is that he is likely to be fit for the Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 8.

Wales attack coach Rob Howley said: "Jamie sent us a text with regards to a fractured skull. That just sums up the team spirit. A guy is in hospital, but sends a text message to the players who he has been playing with for the past three weeks. I think that is a testimony to the squad and the team spirit that (head coach) Warren Gatland has achieved over the last three weeks."

And Wales captain Ryan Jones added: "It was a hell of a collision, but he bravely carried on. "Jamie has put his heart and soul into the jersey, and you can't ask for any more than he has given."

Welsh team doctor, professor John Williams, said 22-year-old Roberts - a medical student himself - would be out of action until the middle of January, three weeks before the Welsh begin their defence of the championship. I've never seen anything like this and I was talking to some of my colleagues and they have never seen anything like this," said Williams.

"It was a collision of heads at a certain angle with a certain momentum causing a crack. Second week of January he could be back in contact which is three weeks before the Six Nations. We will just watch over the next two or three weeks while this heals."

Williams added: "He was admitted last night with a fracture to his skull. He is comfortable, pain-free. He will be out of training for six weeks to give it a chance to heal and then back in the New Year. It is a fracture extending back from above the nose along the roof of the eye towards the central structures in the base of the skull.

"It is a clean fracture which should heal very easily. It's an undisplaced fracture so it means that it is a crack which hasn't moved so it hasn't caused any internal damage to the brain. After the contact Stirling Mortlock looked like he had come off worse. Jamie was conscious throughout and there were no signs of anything, no suggestion of a fracture or any problem with his nose or eyes. The contact was with his forehead.

"And then the headache gradually came on as he was playing about five minutes after and we pulled him off as the headache got worse. He is a pretty tough guy."