CHRIS WYATT has thrown away his crutches and is ready to help Wales walk tall again.
The 6ft 7in second row was feared to have suffered a serious knee injury after being carried off during Wales's 36-3 defeat to France at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
But doctors have given Wyatt the all-clear and he hopes to be fit in time to face Italy next week.
'I thought I had done something pretty serious during the game as there was no way I could even stand after being hurt,' said Wyatt.
'But I'm no longer having to use the crutches and the doctors cannot find any serious problems following my scan.
'There is not much pain or swelling either, so I'm hopeful of being fit very soon.'
Wales fell apart after Wyatt limped off and conceded a third try to French wing, Emile Ntamack, in the closing minutes of their biggest ever home defeat in the championship.
With Craig Quinnell already out with a hamstring injury, coach Graham Henry would be down to the bare bones for second row replacements if Wyatt was also forced out.
New boy Ian Gough came in for Quinnell to face the French but Henry has no one to match the height and power of his two first choice locks.
Henry held a meeting of his team management yesterday and admitted: 'The match looked even worse when I watched it back on video tape. But what I did not detect was any lack of effort or commitment on the part of my players.
'It is a case of improving the performance and making any changes that we feel necessary.
'The French are a very good side but we know that we can play much better than we did in the opening game.'
