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Exclusive: Another combat sport training injury in the England camp
By Alex Shaw
It appears England have not learnt their lesson from the forced retirement of Sam Jones after he injured himself in a judo session with the team in 2016, with Nick Isiekwe the latest player to be injured whilst partaking in combat sports with the national team.
RugbyPass understands that the Saracens forward fractured his hand on Monday when the team was using wrestling as a means of preparing for the third and final Test with the Springboks this weekend.
As a result, the 20-year-old is unavailable for the Test at Newlands and a forgettable tour that saw the lock substituted in the first half of the Johannesburg Test and then sit out the fixture a week later in Bloemfontein, has been ended early.
The injury should heal in time for Isiekwe to return to pre-season training with Saracens five weeks after the conclusion of the series with South Africa, but the club have already arranged for him to have a scan on his return to the country, to ensure that the injury is healing itself and no further action is required.
The versatile forward enjoyed a breakout campaign in the Premiership and Champions Cup last season and will be keen to consolidate his place in the Saracens squad in 2018/19, as well as attempting to push on and nail down a regular spot in the England 23 ahead of the Rugby World Cup in Japan next year.
He is not the only England player not to make it through the entire tour, with Billy Vunipola and Ellis Genge both sent home early with injuries, as well as Brad Shields dropping out of the team for the final Test, albeit with illness, rather than a physical injury.
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Latest Comments
Always proud of the effort, Sam. The All blacks never stop fighting, never just roll over. He didn’t get anywhere near the respect he earned, but that’s due to results, not commitment to the cause. Have fun dominating in Japan!
Go to commentsNot sure why Papali’i thinks Scott Robertson needs his help to select the next All Black Captain. In my view, Papali’i would be well advised to have a good hard look at his own game, and to reflect on how fortunate he is to even wear the black jersey. Rather than shouting at his team mates at every set piece, standing in the mid-field pointing and holding his arms out and flopping to the ground at the back of every second or third ruck, may I suggest he would be far better employed actually doing something on the field. Seriously, watch him for 10 minutes during a game - not much happens. When was the last time he was first to a breakdown, or actually made a turnover? If Robertson is half the Coach I think he is, Papali’i will not be anywhere near the AB’s this season.
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