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Warren Gatland has every reason to be delighted with the form of his leading players during the Lions tour in South Africa, but things have not exactly gone smoothly since the second Test.

Firstly, tight-head Adam Jones was ruled out until next year after suffering elbow damage in an 'illegal' challenge from Boks lock Bakkies Botha. One down for the November series.

Next came the news that Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams required shoulder surgery resulting from injuries picked up in South Africa and were likely to be out until the autumn. Two down, three down.

Throw into the equation Mike Phillips's arrest for an alleged assault on a taxi driver and the rumours of Gavin Henson's retirement from rugby, and it has not been the best of months for Gatland.

Phillips could be dropped as punishment while there have to be question marks over Henson's mindset and commitment to Wales' cause. Possibly four down, possibly five down.

It remains to be seen whether Gatland (pictured) disciplines Phillips and whether Henson rediscovers his form and fitness, but it is already clear that Wales will not be at full-strength for a demanding November series against New Zealand, Samoa, Argentina and Australia on consecutive weekends.

The upside of Wales possibly being short of one third of their first-choice starting XV are the opportunities it presents to others.

Gatland will already have one eye on his squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the misfortunes of the last month could even benefit Wales long term.

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Still on Phillips, it seems a shame the Ospreys number nine is unable to manage the aggression that he so wonderfully targeted at the Boks over the summer.

For Oval Talk, Phillips was the Lions' best performer and his ability to challenge the Boks head on with his raw physicality was key to the tourists almost pulling off a surprise series victory.

But last week's alleged altercation with a cabbie is not the first time Phillips has had problems with members of the Welsh public.

Less than a year ago he required a hospital check-up after being attacked outside a Cardiff nightclub in the early hours, and in February he was present when Henson got rowdy during a drinking session in the Welsh capital.

There was also an incident in 2005 when he was detained by police with then team-mate James Goode following an alleged brawl.

Now Oval Talk does not know the full details of Phillips's cabbie clash, but there seems to a worrying pattern emerging with his off-field behaviour.

Welsh players clearly live a goldfish-bowl existence not suffered by other internationals in the UK and Ireland, but because of this they clearly need to be more on their guard and reserved in their behaviour.

Phillips might well have been the innocent party in all of the above, but surely experience should have taught him by now how to avoid such incidents.

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Anyone who witnessed the first 20 minutes of the Tri-Nations opener between New Zealand and Australia can be excused for thinking the Wallabies were comfortably on track to break an Eden Park hoodoo that goes back to 1986.

After an impressive start to their international season that saw them comfortably defeat the Barbarians, Italy and France, the Wallabies were 10-3 ahead after 10 minutes and appeared to have the All Blacks on the ropes.

But they then squandered a simple four-on-one chance to extend their lead to 17-3 at the end of the first quarter, a failed opportunity that seemed to stir the All Blacks out of their sluggish start.

Home captain Richie McCaw touched down minutes later, after which New Zealand started to out-muscle the Wallabies pack on their way to grinding out a deserved 22-16 win.

Scoring chances against New Zealand do not come around too often and Berrick Barnes will forever rue his decision not to pass to fellow-centre Stirling Mortlock with the try-line begging.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport