Ken Owens hopes to turn his recovery from a “freak” neck injury into the start of his long quest for Rugby World Cup 2015 selection.

The Scarlets hooker expects to be sidelined for 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a prolapsed disc in his neck.

The 27-year-old will miss Wales’s autumn Test schedule but is steeling himself for a makeshift pre-season as he eyes Six Nations action.

The Carmarthen-born front-rower battled back from a first bout of neck surgery to make Wales’s 2011 World Cup squad and is now aiming to make history repeat itself.

“It was obviously frustrating but injuries are part and parcel of rugby,” said Owens.

“It was just a freak injury towards the end of a scrummaging session in training to be honest.

“I’ve had it now — maybe that’s one way to look at it.

“So I can get good rest, good rehab and conditioning, then the boys, some of the players will have a big couple of months of rugby leading into the Six Nations and what have you, while I’ll hopefully be fresh.

“But you can never predict these things.

“In the last World Cup year, I had my neck operation in the January and thought I wouldn’t be able to get back in contention.

“But then some of the other boys started picking up injuries towards the end of the season and I ended up going to the World Cup.

“Things happen for a reason but you’ve got to look after your own health and wellbeing as well.

“Thankfully it is only just a 12-week injury, so hopefully I’ll have a chance to get back and try to get a bit of form to prove to the international selectors I deserve a spot.”