Wales flanker Josh Navidi says he will be fit for the World Cup as he recovers from one of the most painful injuries of his career.
Navidi enjoyed a stellar Six Nations, starting and impressing in all five matches as Wales won the Grand Slam.
The 28-year-old then dislocated his elbow during Cardiff Blues' win over Scarlets last month, but expects to be back for Wales' summer training camps.
"I've had the op now and I'll be ready for the World Cup camps," said Navidi.
"I'll be fully fit to play in 12 weeks so I'll be ready for then. I just need to look after my body and get it right.
"I had the operation last Thursday so the pain's gone now.
"It's nice to get it done and dusted quite quickly and hopefully next week I can get my range of motion back."
The back row is arguably the most competitive area of the Wales team, with Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty, Thomas Young, Ellis Jenkins, Aaron Shingler and James Davies vying with Navidi for a place in the national side.
With Faletau, Jenkins, Shingler and Davies missing the Six Nations through injury, Navidi seized his opportunity with a string of excellent displays, carrying the ball powerfully and defending with ferocious intensity.
But less than a week after Wales secured the Grand Slam with victory over Ireland, there were worries for Navidi's World Cup prospects when he was forced off the field less than two minutes into Cardiff Blues' thrashing of Scarlets.
In what Blues head coach John Mulvihill described as "friendly fire", it was actually the accidental intervention of one of Navidi's own team-mates which caused his gruesome injury.
"I put my arm out to tackle one of the Scarlets boys but Tomos [Williams, Blues and Wales scrum-half] did come from behind and gave me a bit of a nudge," Navidi told BBC Sport Wales.
"It was just the position my arm was in. Nine times out of 10 it probably wouldn't have happened, but it's just the way I was, it got knocked out and it came out.
"It didn't make the best sound but, it got back in straight away and the medical team looked after me.
"Obviously it's not the best and it would have been nice to finish off the season with the Blues. We've still got a lot to play for there.
"I'd say it was probably the second most painful injury of my career.
"The worst was when I had a stinger on my neck a while ago. It was ongoing pain."
What's on the Wales players' playlist?
Navidi is a warrior who is used to putting his body on the line for the sake of his team, and Wales will hope to have that wholehearted commitment helping their cause at the World Cup in Japan later this year.
Welsh confidence has scarcely been higher as the players prepare for the showpiece tournament with a Grand Slam and a national record of 14 consecutive wins under their belts.
In Navidi, they also have a budding DJ in their midst.
During the evening following Wales' Grand Slam-clinching win over Ireland, he was pictured on the decks at a Cardiff bar.
But Navidi, who has DJed at clubs in the past, said his was only a cameo set at the end of the night.
"I was just speaking to the DJ, my mate Ian, and then I did a little bit when everyone had left and it was just friends and staff," he said.
"I like hip hop, but it depends where you are and what the crowd is."
How about the Wales team and their choice of songs before matches?
"We do two songs each on the playlist," said Navidi, whose choices are 'Paris' by the Chainsmokers and 'Californication' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"You have some boys playing something and you think: 'Bloody hell, what is this?' But most of the stuff is good and it's good to hear something different.
"Nicky [Smith] had the 'Pong Dance' song [by Vigiland] so we were on the bus and we had a full-on rave dance song on."
Whether Ospreys prop Smith or Navidi have control of the changing room sound system in Japan, both will be hoping they can provide the soundtrack for a successful World Cup campaign.
"Fingers crossed I can make the squad and get to play in a World Cup, where I've played at an Under-20 World Cup and won my first [senior] cap," said Navidi.
"It would be nice to go back out there."
For the latest Welsh rugby news follow @BBCScrumV on Twitter.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
