Brutal injury could keep Steffon Armitage sidelined for rest of the year

A brutal Achilles injury could rule former England backrow Steffon Armitage out of the game for the rest of the season and potentially the rest of the year.

Armitage suffered the injury during Pau's defeat at the hands of Cardiff Blues in their Challenge Cup semi-final clash in Wales.

Scans revealed that the 32-year-old ruptured his Achilles, an injury that generally has a rehabilitation period of at least six months.

The club website stated yesterday: "Steffon undertook exams this morning that confirmed a rupture of the Achilles tendon. His rehabilitation will remove him for between 6 to 9 months."

The injury has been operated on by surgeons.

Armitage won five caps for England before moving to Toulon and then in 2016 to Pau.

It's been a poor spell for the club, both on the pitch and on the injuries front too. All Black flyhalf Colin Slade has also suffered a hamstring injury.

Cardiff Blues set up a showdown with Gloucester in the European Challenge Cup final after the Welsh club overcame Pau 16-10 on Saturday.

Cardiff’s reward is a clash with last year’s runners-up Gloucester at San Mames Stadium on May 11.

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