-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)
These are your evening rugby headlines on Sunday, December 8.
World Cup winner hospitalised
Stormers star Manie Libbok was rushed to hospital after suffering a serious head injury during his side’s clash with Toulon, with his coach saying the situation is “very bad”.
The Springbok World Cup winner was stretchered off the field during the Champions Cup clash following a sickening tackle by Toulon replacement Yannick Youyoutte, who was subsequently shown a red card for the challenge.
READ MORE: Storm Darragh rips roof off Welsh rugby club as bystanders narrowly missed in frightening incident
READ MORE: Welsh international calls for regions to be scrapped and names coach to replace Gatland
Libbok was then taken immediately to hospital, with coach John Dobson painting a dark picture following his side’s 24-14 defeat. The Stormers also lost flanker Keke Morabe to a serious leg injury, with their injury concerns now mounting up.
“Manie is very bad, he has gone to hospital. Normally with a concussion, you don’t go straight to the hospital – so I’d imagine there is some concern there,” said Dobson.
“Keke has fractured his leg again, second time in nine months, which is really tough. I think it’s the same one but I might be wrong. BJ [Dixon] failed his second HIA, Ruben [van Heerden] is sore but nothing too serious. It is quite a bad day at the office as it is.
“For us, and some might say it is an excuse, but not through substitutions or selections, but to play that game without Springbok players Deon [Fourie], Evan [Roos], Keke, BJ, Frans [Malherbe], Kitsie [Steven Kitshoff], Damian [Willemse], Sacha [Feinberg-Mnogemzulu], Manie – it’s not insignificant.”
Wales star’s replacement lined up
Stormers flanker Hendre Stassen is set to join Brive as a replacement for injured Wales international Ross Moriarty.
Moriarty was injured in his side’s Pro D2 clash with US Dax in October, in what looked initially to be a serious incident that left the Welshman in agony. However, the leg injury was not as bad as first feared, with Brive confirming that he had avoided a fracture.
At the time, local press said the former Lion would likely be out until December, but a replacement has now been lined up in the form of 26-year-old Stassen.
RugbyPass reports that he is set to join the French side as injury cover for Moriarty. The former Stade Francais and Bulls star returned to rugby last year following a four year ban for doping.
Wales international relishing facing world star
Wales Women lock Georgia Evans says she’s excited to face new Bristol Bears signing Ilona Maher after the American star’s arrival in the UK caused a stir.
Maher is an Olympic bronze medallist with the USA Sevens side and also the most followed rugby player in the world on social media, boasting 4.6 million followers on Instagram. By comparison, the second most followed player in the world is Springboks legend Siya Kolisi, who has 1.4 million.
The 28-year-old had been linked with a move to Premiership Women’s Rugby for some time and was confirmed as a Bears player earlier this week. Her arrival in the league has led to ‘unprecedented’ demand for tickets for Bristol’s clash with Gloucester-Hartpury in January, which has now been moved from the 2,000 capacity Shaftesbury Park to Ashton Gate, which can accommodate 27,000 fans.
“There’s been lots of whispers and finally the news has broken,” said Saracens star Evans as she addressed the signing . “I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be amazing for the PWR and for women’s rugby in general to have her back on the 15s circuit.
“The Bristol girls have all said what a great addition she’ll be since they’ve met her. She’s going to bring loads of energy and I know that she’ll bring lots of new eyeballs to the game.”
Smith not getting carried away
By PA Sport Staff
Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith is remaining grounded despite seeing his side open the Champions Cup pool stage with an impressive six-try, bonus-point win over Sale Sharks.
George Horne was the star man as the Scotland scrum-half notched a hat-trick of tries in a 38-19 win against the Premiership side at Scotstoun. Smith, though, warned against any premature celebrations with just one match played so far in a potentially long campaign.
The Glasgow head coach said: “It’s obviously a good start. But we didn’t start that well last year against Northampton and still got to the round of 16. There’s a lot still to happen, also for the teams that lost (their opening match) in our pool. So, I’ll be reluctant at this stage to get overly excited.”
Next for Glasgow is a difficult trip to play Toulon in France next Sunday, a reprise of last season’s meeting that Warriors won comfortably at home.
Smith added: “It will be good to go there and back up last year’s performance. They are a tough team. They’ve got some real quality players. We know that. They’re different from what we faced (against Sale on Saturday night).
“So, it’s about how we adapt, how we change. Our player group must be managed right. And we must make sure the squad can help us maintain this intensity, this enthusiasm and this creativity.
“We will see how the guys look on Monday. And, obviously, I’ve got a plan. It’s going to be important to keep the momentum building. But, at the same time, we have to make sure that everybody is fresh and continues contributing.”