Lions in SA
Injury worries for Lions
2009-06-28 20:17
Email | Print
Gethin Jenkins is helped off the field. (Gallo Images)
|
Pretoria - The British and Irish Lions will be without first-choice props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones for next week's final Test against South Africa after both underwent surgery on injuries sustained in Saturday's defeat.
Jenkins suffered a cracked cheekbone while Jones dislocated his shoulder in an incident that led to Springbok lock Bakkies Botha being cited after the game the Springboks won 28-25 to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Both men had surgery in Pretoria on Saturday, and three other Lions also needed hospital treatment in the wake of the brutal encounter at Loftus Versfeld.
Lions doctor James Robson had a very long list of injuries and said that Brian O'Driscoll (concussion), Jamie Roberts (arm), Tommy Bowe (elbow) and Ronan O'Gara (cut eye) would all be monitored during the week before the team for the Ellis Park test is named on Thursday.
Winger Luke Fitzgerald had no lasting eye damage from the first-minute incident that led to a yellow card and subsequent citing for recalled Springbok flanker Schalk Burger. Both South Africans will attend a disciplinary hearing later on Sunday.
"It certainly was a fairly brutal game," Robson told journalists.
"As the casualty list goes it is not something I am happy with. To lose two of our most colourful characters in Gethin and Adam is distressing. Gethin has had a plastic plate inserted. The timescale for his recovery is six to eight weeks.
"We couldn't get Adam's shoulder to pop back in at the stadium and he was required to go to theatre. He will be subject to further investigation and specialist opinion.
"Brian is very much alert and conscious today but he is subject to the usual return to play protocol."
Coach Ian McGeechan said he would not be calling up any further replacements for the final game and he still has four available props with Phil Vickery and Andy Sheridan as well as last week's call-ups John Hayes and Tim Payne.