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Wales full-back Lee Byrne will miss the Ospreys' Heineken Cup double header against Munster with a fractured thumb.
The Ospreys have publically criticised Byrne for missing Welsh Rugby Union medical appointments so the severity of the injury was not made clear earlier.
A statement reads: "Lee failed to attend a consultation with a specialist that had been arranged by the union.
"He then failed to report to a scheduled screening on his return to the Ospreys."
British and Irish Lions star Byrne will be out for five weeks - the entire festive schedule - due to a fracture in a thumb sustained in Wales' November defeat to New Zealand.
The 30-year-old will miss Sunday's European trip to two-time Heineken Cup winners Munster - and the reverse fixture at the Liberty Stadium the following weekend - as well as the Ospreys festive Magners Leagues derbies with Scarlets and Cardiff Blues.
Byrne now faces a race against time to be fit for Ospreys' crucial final two Heineken Cup Pool Three fixtures against London Irish and Toulon in mid-January.
And the Magners League champions are clearly not happy with their star full-back as the surprisingly hit out at Byrne in a statement.
The Ospreys statement reads in full: "The Ospreys were unfortunately not in a position to confirm the severity of the injury at an earlier date, despite it being flagged up by the WRU, after Lee failed to attend a consultation with a specialist that had been arranged by the union.
"He then failed to report to a scheduled screening on his return to the Ospreys, meaning the medical team were not in a position to effectively confirm a diagnosis of his injury status until late last week.
"Hence he was named in the initial matchday squad for the Edinburgh match until the severity of the issue became clear."
Byrne was withdrawn from the Ospreys squad that beat Edinburgh in the Magners League last week at the 11th hour and has subsequently been ruled out of their key Heineken Cup games against Irish giants Munster.
Ospreys physio Chris Towers said: "We're now in a position to confirm the severity of the injury Lee suffered in the recent test match against New Zealand, which kept him out of the Edinburgh fixture last weekend.
"Further investigations yesterday (Tuesday) confirmed a fracture at the base of the thumb - and in light of this he is unlikely to be available for selection for an estimated period of five weeks from now."
Byrne had only just returned from a broken hand - sustained in Ospreys' defeat at Glasgow on 24 October - when he suffered his latest fracture against the All Blacks on 27 November.
Byrne missed Wales' opening autumn international against Australia with his hand injured but returned in the defeat by world champions South Africa.
He also played in the draw against Fiji before his try-scoring display in the 37-25 defeat by New Zealand - the game Byrne suffered his latest set-back.
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The Ospreys have publically criticised Byrne for missing Welsh Rugby Union medical appointments so the severity of the injury was not made clear earlier.
A statement reads: "Lee failed to attend a consultation with a specialist that had been arranged by the union.
"He then failed to report to a scheduled screening on his return to the Ospreys."
British and Irish Lions star Byrne will be out for five weeks - the entire festive schedule - due to a fracture in a thumb sustained in Wales' November defeat to New Zealand.
The 30-year-old will miss Sunday's European trip to two-time Heineken Cup winners Munster - and the reverse fixture at the Liberty Stadium the following weekend - as well as the Ospreys festive Magners Leagues derbies with Scarlets and Cardiff Blues.
Byrne now faces a race against time to be fit for Ospreys' crucial final two Heineken Cup Pool Three fixtures against London Irish and Toulon in mid-January.
And the Magners League champions are clearly not happy with their star full-back as the surprisingly hit out at Byrne in a statement.
The Ospreys statement reads in full: "The Ospreys were unfortunately not in a position to confirm the severity of the injury at an earlier date, despite it being flagged up by the WRU, after Lee failed to attend a consultation with a specialist that had been arranged by the union.
"He then failed to report to a scheduled screening on his return to the Ospreys, meaning the medical team were not in a position to effectively confirm a diagnosis of his injury status until late last week.
"Hence he was named in the initial matchday squad for the Edinburgh match until the severity of the issue became clear."
Byrne was withdrawn from the Ospreys squad that beat Edinburgh in the Magners League last week at the 11th hour and has subsequently been ruled out of their key Heineken Cup games against Irish giants Munster.
Ospreys physio Chris Towers said: "We're now in a position to confirm the severity of the injury Lee suffered in the recent test match against New Zealand, which kept him out of the Edinburgh fixture last weekend.
"Further investigations yesterday (Tuesday) confirmed a fracture at the base of the thumb - and in light of this he is unlikely to be available for selection for an estimated period of five weeks from now."
Byrne had only just returned from a broken hand - sustained in Ospreys' defeat at Glasgow on 24 October - when he suffered his latest fracture against the All Blacks on 27 November.
Byrne missed Wales' opening autumn international against Australia with his hand injured but returned in the defeat by world champions South Africa.
He also played in the draw against Fiji before his try-scoring display in the 37-25 defeat by New Zealand - the game Byrne suffered his latest set-back.
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