Jamie Roberts has described the injuries suffered by Wales teammates Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb as the "cruellest thing imaginable".
The duo were ruled out of the Rugby World Cup after picking up injuries in the team's final warm-up game ahead of the tournament, which gets underway later this week.
The centre told Sky Sports News: "It is hard to see your best mates injured badly. Watching that game last Saturday was horrible. To fall at the final hurdle is the cruellest thing imaginable.
"It is difficult but we are a close-knit bunch and the core of the squad has been together for a while. Warren Gatland has bred strength in depth to generate competition for places and drive everyone to become better players and better people and he knows there is quality to come in.
"I was chatting to Leigh, who is out for six months, saying how he has to put a positive spin on his injury, as bad and brutal as it is. He will have six months out and come back desperately hungry to play rugby again."
Wales begin their World Cup campaign against Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Sian Cowper
