Smashed: Which team is currently the worst hit by injuries?

I simply don't recall a season where so many teams have lost so many players due to injuries only a handful of games in.

Just to let people get their excuses in early, this thread is for you to make your case that your team deserves more sympathy than any other because of the farcical level of injuries your team has had to suffer, even at this early stage in the season. And to p!ss and moan in a manner appropriate to your loss.

Front runners for the:

Frank Spencer 'Ooooh, Betty' Award for Unintentional Injury

are currently:

1. Dragons:

Currently missing: Lee Byrne, Jason Tovey, Ashley Smith, Pat Leach, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Ross Wardle, Ian Gough, Matthew Screech and Joe Davies.

That's some fairly calamitous sh!t at Dave Parade.

2. Ulster:

Currently missing: Ruan Pienaar, Dan Tuohy, Iain Henderson, Rory Scholes, Darren Cave, Declan Fitzpatrick, Jared Payne.

Not so many players but some seriously important ones. And that's without even mentioning the words 'Stephen' and 'Ferris'.

3. Munster

Currently missing: Cian Bohane, Tyler Bleyendaal, Paul O'Connell, Mike Sherry, Damien Varley, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Keith Earls, Felix Jones, Luke O'Dea.

Been very bad for them - guys like Bleyendaal being injured before they've even arrived has to grind a few gears.

4. Leicester Tigers

Currently missing: Manu Tuilagi, Anthony Allen, Tom Youngs, Mathew Tait, Niall Morris, Geoff Parling

And this is before Leicester even have their now traditional mid-season injury crisis.

Come on, then. Let's have it.

I think that I have to give the Dragons the award and a large box of Kleenex.

1-3 have a case but not Leicester for me.

Think Tigers' list is much longer than that to be honest. Morris out definitely, as well as others I can't remember. Parling, Slater maybe.

I suppose that Edinburgh also has an injury crisis.

In that annoyingly Hilterbrand, Strauss, Blaauw, Beard, Leonardi and Dominguez remain resolutely uninjured.

I would not say qty but qlty of injuries at the Scarlets, this weekend they will be without Ken Owens 1st choice hooker, Gareth Davies 1st choice scrum half, and Regan King 1st choice center, losing these players definatley weekens their 1st 15.

George Carlin wrote:I suppose that Edinburgh also has an injury crisis.

In that annoyingly Hilterbrand, Strauss, Blaauw, Beard, Leonardi and Dominguez remain resolutely uninjured.

There is a reason for that!

Compare your list above to the likes of:
Simon Taylor
Jason White
Ross Rennie

The difference?

Taylor, White and Rennie get stuck in and throw themselves about the place. Ergo they are better players. The only issue with getting stuck in is you find you get cabbaged more frequently!

George Carlin wrote:

4. Leicester Tigers

Currently missing: Manu Tuilagi, Anthony Allen, Tom Youngs, Mathew Tait, Niall Morris, Geoff Parling

Every team has injuries and just have to live with it.

At full availability the following would be our first choice team. Unavailable players crossed out:

Ayerza, Youngs, Cole, Slater, Parling, Croft, Salvi, Crane, Youngs, Burns, Benjamin, Allen, Tuilagi, Goneva, Tait

Missing your entire front row and centre pairing is a big loss. Four of those players were capped for the Lions last Summer.

For Ulster, Pienaar should return to play in 3 or 4 weeks. Following Pienaar the only 2 big concerns at the moment are Henderson, and Tuohy, with both not due to return until after Christmas. Not aware of any injury issue with Cave, and Fitzpatrick should be good to return after his knock. The word is that he is in the best shape of his life, and sure to last at least a good 15 minutes before he is back on the injury list  

You know Ferris has retired right GC? I mean, I really miss the guy but it's not news! Declan Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, is just the man for terminal injury problems.

No, I think Ulster are doing alright. You can also add Ricky Lutton, Dave Ryan and I think Sean Reidy to that list as far as I know. There's a bit of an injury problem for us at tight head as well which has gone unnoticed due to the sterling form of Wiehahn Herbst. Cover at lock is a much bigger problem. But we have five tight heads in the squad and three of them are injured!

I guess that is exactly the reason we have five tightheads in the squad.

We've been hit hard no doubt. Lyn Jones could maybe have rectified it sooner though, given we went into the season with two fit senior centres (and it's not really as if Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan are very experienced anyway). It's pretty rotten luck to have two centres get injured in one game though and Leach was injured in the last pre-season game. We'll just take the hit for now and then make our charge for 8th position when everybody is fit

Part from missing both Tuohy and Henderson, we're much better off this season than stretches of last.

I think at one stage we were missing Black, Best, Afoa, Fitzpatrick, Muller, Tuohy, Marshall and Bowe.

Oh, and Olding. And McAllister. And Macklin. And Farrell. And Ferris.

At one time. How did we ever get anywhere?

Risca Rev wrote:We've been hit hard no doubt. Lyn Jones could maybe have rectified it sooner though, given we went into the season with two fit senior centres (and it's not really as if Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan are very experienced anyway). It's pretty rotten luck to have two centres get injured in one game though and Leach was injured in the last pre-season game. We'll just take the hit for now and then make our charge for 8th position when everybody is fit

We have been decimated of that there is no doubt and what makes it worse is 4 of them are centres, we just don't have the resources or depth of other squads and had to get an on-loan centre for last weeks game.

Quins are currently down Gray, PDJ, Merrick, Clifford, Chisholm, Monye, Evans, Casson, Lowe, Hopper, Walker, Williams, Chisholm and possibly OLH. Considering we started the season with only Lowe and Casson out, that's a pretty shocking return from the first 3 weeks. We lost 4 players in Monday's A league alone - and Evans, Hopper and Walker in the first half against Sarries.

Of those, perhaps 5 are contenders for starters. The issue is worst at OC, where we're down Lowe, Hopper and Walker and currently playing Sloan there (fresh from the JWC). We're one or two injuries in the loose forwards away from having to put Easter at lock and improvise at No 8.

Tigers full(ish) list of injuries;

Allen
Bai
Benjamin
Camacho
Cole
Deacon
Gibson
Hamilton
Hepetema
Loamanu
Matera
Morris
Parling - Could be career threatening as he's had multiple concussions.
Pearce
Price
Rizzo
Slater
Thompstone
Thorn
Tuilagi
Tom Youngs

Some of them have been injured for yonks, has Camacho actually played for us yet?

No Camacho has not. Benjamin should at least be back this weekend ditto Bai.

We're missing over twenty players. Centre, loosehead and backrow are particularly badly hit.

Looking at squads and positions id say Leicester have been hit hardest, but then they're culpable to an extent as they've signed a Poopie load of injured or injury prone players!!

Quins are probably close behind with their injury list, especially as in 3 rounds we've gone from a few injuries to about a dozen or so. 13 lock and flankers in particular are now problem positions for us. Prop and 10 as well is looking ropey.

yappysnap wrote:Looking at squads and positions id say Leicester have been hit hardest, but then they're culpable to an extent as they've signed a Poopie load of injured or injury prone players!!

I'd go along with that. Leicester's list is shocking because a number of those injuries are long term.

To some extent, they have signed some fragile folk - Tait, for example - but I wonder whether any Tigers fans think there's anything in the club's DNA which makes injuries more likely these days. Leicester has always had a reputation for an abrasive playing style and full-contact training sessions. Does this begin to take a heavier toll when opposition teams have become bigger and stronger?

It might just be very bad luck but this article about Tom Croft did make me wonder:

Just as long as he gets his tackling technique right and avoids yet more injury. Cockerill explained that Croft’s slightly delayed start to the season came about because he misjudged a tackle in a pre-season friendly. “He does tackle with his head on the wrong side sometimes and you can break your neck like that,” Cockerill said. “Tom has a narrow frame and when he hits hard it rattles him. With all those pins and plates in his neck there are only so many times you can be hit. But in the heat of battle it’s not an exact science.”

Croft insists that his neck is stronger than ever and that at 17st he is as bulked-up as he has been. He has no qualms about re-entering the fray. “You can’t drop off or hide in contact or you’ll end up with more risk of injury. I do get my head the wrong side a little more than most, reckoning that if I miss them with my arms I can get them with my head. I’ve got that chunk of metal in my neck for more support. Look, I do try and do it properly but you’ve got to get something in the way.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11100156/England-and-Lions-flanker-Tom-Croft-puts-two-years-of-pain-behind-him-and-has-World-Cup-firmly-in-his-sights.html

So, Croft has a problem with his tackling technique but he still sees it as his job to get "something in the way", at the expense of his own neck. We all want commitment from players but I can't help wondering whether addressing his technique is the more urgent issue. Since he's been playing for nearly ten years now, it does raise the question of whether this is a new development or a deficiency he's always had which has gone unaddressed.

nathan wrote:Tigers full(ish) list of injuries;

Allen
Bai
Benjamin
Camacho
Cole
Deacon
Gibson
Hamilton
Hepetema
Loamanu
Matera
Morris
Parling - Could be career threatening as he's had multiple concussions.
Pearce
Price
Rizzo
Slater
Thompstone
Thorn
Tuilagi
Tom Youngs

Some of them have been injured for yonks, has Camacho actually played for us yet?

This is a pretty good team you list here.

nathan wrote:Tigers full(ish) list of injuries;

Allen
Bai
Benjamin
Camacho
Cole
Deacon
Gibson
Hamilton
Hepetema
Loamanu
Matera
Morris
Parling - Could be career threatening as he's had multiple concussions.
Pearce
Price
Rizzo
Slater
Thompstone
Thorn
Tuilagi
Tom Youngs

Some of them have been injured for yonks, has Camacho actually played for us yet?

Okay. Tigers and Dragons - no score draw.

Notch wrote:You know Ferris has retired right GC? I mean, I really miss the guy but it's not news! Declan Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, is just the man for terminal injury problems.

Yes, even I knew that one . That's why I didn't list him as currently injured.

yappysnap wrote:Looking at squads and positions id say Leicester have been hit hardest, but then they're culpable to an extent as they've signed a Poopie load of injured or injury prone players!!

Quins are probably close behind with their injury list, especially as in 3 rounds we've gone from a few injuries to about a dozen or so. 13 lock and flankers in particular are now problem positions for us. Prop and 10 as well is looking ropey.

Other than Tait who is injury prone? Croft in recent years has been, but before that he was fine.

Deacon, Benjamin, Thompstone and Camacho all seem to be continuously out. Thorn was signed broken as well. Really don't know enough about most of the others. But that's 5 for you.

yappysnap wrote:Deacon, Benjamin, Thompstone and Camacho all seem to be continuously out. Thorn was signed broken as well. Really don't know enough about most of the others. But that's 5 for you.

Deacon isn't that injury prone, just old. lol

Benjamin had some bad luck with a bad neck injury wouldn't call that injury prone. Thompstone wasn't out that much last season either. Camacho well, you may have a point on that one.

Thorn has only just just signed for us, bit early to call him injury prone!

I am not convinced that the amount of injuries Leicester get is down to bad luck alone.

Perhaps Leicester do see it as just bad luck but I would certainly look at what they can do to reduce them. It obviously hurts their chances.

No side is really that monstrously big in the AP unlike the French sides so I can't put Leicester's injuries down to being manhandled by giant opposition.

Neither Quins' or Leicester's teams are what I would call small.

The Leicester team minus those injured players looks far stronger than London Welsh's 1st XV.

You do wonder about the apparent very full on full contact sessions they have at Tigers. Arguably that belongs in another era but maybe its just bad luck.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:We've been hit hard no doubt. Lyn Jones could maybe have rectified it sooner though, given we went into the season with two fit senior centres (and it's not really as if Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan are very experienced anyway). It's pretty rotten luck to have two centres get injured in one game though and Leach was injured in the last pre-season game. We'll just take the hit for now and then make our charge for 8th position when everybody is fit

We have been decimated of that there is no doubt and what makes it worse is 4 of them are centres, we just don't have the resources or depth of other squads and had to get an on-loan centre for last weeks game.

The thing is, you have must have the most injured no. 10 in the whole wide world, every time Jason Tovey takes to the field I am just waiting for him to get injured,you have to question his mindset, where is Steffan Jones these days ?

nathan wrote:...Other than Tait who is injury prone?...

On second thoughts, it not that Tigers sign crocks, it's that they've had a really rough run of injuries to marquee players. After Ben Youngs broke into the side during the 2010 summer tour, it seems like he played when less than fit, or was actually out, an awful lot. Manu was out with that chest injury which was initially misdiagnosed, Dan Cole did his neck, as did Tom Croft. Now Slater is out long term, Tom Youngs has a few months on the sidelines while Parling is a new doubt.

When you consider that these players are often on England duty when fit - Slater was hoping to be - that's a lot of time they aren't strutting their stuff for Leicester.

Rugby Fan wrote:

nathan wrote:...Other than Tait who is injury prone?...

On second thoughts, it not that Tigers sign crocks, it's that they've had a really rough run of injuries to marquee players. After Ben Youngs broke into the side during the 2010 summer tour, it seems like he played when less than fit, or was actually out, an awful lot. Manu was out with that chest injury which was initially misdiagnosed, Dan Cole did his neck, as did Tom Croft. Now Slater is out long term, Tom Youngs has a few months on the sidelines while Parling is a new doubt.

When you consider that these players are often on England duty when fit - Slater was hoping to be - that's a lot of time they aren't strutting their stuff for Leicester.

England in the past haven't really helped us but thats the luck of the draw. Ben Youngs was played for England when he wasn't fit (cockers had a moan in the media about this). Manu tore his peck muscle which i think was on england duty. Dan Cole, i'm not sure why it wasn't picked up earlier. Tom Croft was just poor tackling technique.

nathan wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:

nathan wrote:...Other than Tait who is injury prone?...

On second thoughts, it not that Tigers sign crocks, it's that they've had a really rough run of injuries to marquee players. After Ben Youngs broke into the side during the 2010 summer tour, it seems like he played when less than fit, or was actually out, an awful lot. Manu was out with that chest injury which was initially misdiagnosed, Dan Cole did his neck, as did Tom Croft. Now Slater is out long term, Tom Youngs has a few months on the sidelines while Parling is a new doubt.

When you consider that these players are often on England duty when fit - Slater was hoping to be - that's a lot of time they aren't strutting their stuff for Leicester.

England in the past haven't really helped us but thats the luck of the draw. Ben Youngs was played for England when he wasn't fit (cockers had a moan in the media about this). Manu tore his peck muscle which i think was on england duty. Dan Cole, i'm not sure why it wasn't picked up earlier. Tom Croft was just poor tackling technique.

That was certainly a complaint with the Lions. Both Manu and Ben Youngs apparently playing while injured, but I am not sure if they went to the Lions carrying the injuries or if they happened on tour. Post Lions Manu was out for a long time. I cant remember about Ben youngs but I do recall that his form was bad for a large part of last season.

Youngs injured his shoulder on the tour of SA with England and then with the Lions. The Lions played him in the second test when he was injured anyway which incurred the wrath of Cockers. Benny isn't the most naturally athletic so needs a decent pre season in order to be anywhere near his best form. Last season he missed a good chunk and never really reached his sniping best. Pulled out a cracking performance or two in France though.

Manu hurt his pectoral before the first test and ended up playing again on tour anyway. Set him back months. First game back he tore it again and was out for another couple of months.

George Carlin wrote:

Notch wrote:You know Ferris has retired right GC? I mean, I really miss the guy but it's not news! Declan Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, is just the man for terminal injury problems.

Yes, even I knew that one . That's why I didn't list him as currently injured.

Sorry GC, I suppose I was still thinking of last season where people would say 'Well, Stephen Ferris is still injured' and I would think 'You mean, Stephen Ferris isn't ready to admit his career is over yet!" Sad but true. He does seem to be happier now he's retired now from what I can tell. He can sort of get on with his life.

LordDowlais wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:We've been hit hard no doubt. Lyn Jones could maybe have rectified it sooner though, given we went into the season with two fit senior centres (and it's not really as if Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan are very experienced anyway). It's pretty rotten luck to have two centres get injured in one game though and Leach was injured in the last pre-season game. We'll just take the hit for now and then make our charge for 8th position when everybody is fit

We have been decimated of that there is no doubt and what makes it worse is 4 of them are centres, we just don't have the resources or depth of other squads and had to get an on-loan centre for last weeks game.

The thing is, you have must have the most injured no. 10 in the whole wide world, every time Jason Tovey takes to the field I am just waiting for him to get injured,you have to question his mindset, where is Steffan Jones these days ?

Bedford is it? Think so. To be fair to Tovey, he has played a lot of times for us carrying niggles because he has had no choice.

Risca Rev wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:We've been hit hard no doubt. Lyn Jones could maybe have rectified it sooner though, given we went into the season with two fit senior centres (and it's not really as if Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan are very experienced anyway). It's pretty rotten luck to have two centres get injured in one game though and Leach was injured in the last pre-season game. We'll just take the hit for now and then make our charge for 8th position when everybody is fit

We have been decimated of that there is no doubt and what makes it worse is 4 of them are centres, we just don't have the resources or depth of other squads and had to get an on-loan centre for last weeks game.

The thing is, you have must have the most injured no. 10 in the whole wide world, every time Jason Tovey takes to the field I am just waiting for him to get injured,you have to question his mindset, where is Steffan Jones these days ?

Bedford is it? Think so. To be fair to Tovey, he has played a lot of times for us carrying niggles because he has had no choice.

Risca,is young Steffan Jones still at the region ? He looked to be a decent player, the LV= cup game against Wasps springs to mind.

3. Munster

Currently missing: Cian Bohane, Tyler Bleyendaal, Paul O'Connell, Mike Sherry, Damien Varley, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Keith Earls, Felix Jones, Luke O'Dea.

Are the highlighted players injured?

Plus isn't Peter O'Mahony out?

Decimated means one in ten is killed - just for pedant points.

Edinburgh certainly are badly hit by injury this year I don't have a full list tho

TJ wrote:Decimated means one in ten is killed - just for pedant points.

That's the historical use.

These days it's used for much larger reductions from the original number.

Word move on

Poorfour wrote:Quins are currently down Gray, PDJ, Merrick, Clifford, Chisholm, Monye, Evans, Casson, Lowe, Hopper, Walker, Williams, Chisholm and possibly OLH. Considering we started the season with only Lowe and Casson out, that's a pretty shocking return from the first 3 weeks. We lost 4 players in Monday's A league alone - and Evans, Hopper and Walker in the first half against Sarries.

Of those, perhaps 5 are contenders for starters. The issue is worst at OC, where we're down Lowe, Hopper and Walker and currently playing Sloan there (fresh from the JWC). We're one  or two injuries in the loose forwards away from having to put Easter at lock and improvise at No 8.

And Marchant. So if Sloan gets injured we are screwed

MunsterMac wrote:

3. Munster

Currently missing: Cian Bohane, Tyler Bleyendaal, Paul O'Connell, Mike Sherry, Damien Varley, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Keith Earls, Felix Jones, Luke O'Dea.

Are the highlighted players injured?

Plus isn't Peter O'Mahony out?

I did my best with the thread. Really, I did. I can only go from what websites tell me.

beshocked wrote:I am not convinced that the amount of injuries Leicester get is down to bad luck alone.

Perhaps Leicester do see it as just bad luck but I would certainly look at what they can do to reduce them. It obviously hurts their chances.

No side is really that monstrously big in the AP unlike the French sides so I can't put Leicester's injuries down to being manhandled by giant opposition.

Neither Quins' or Leicester's teams are what I would call small.

Not saying it isn't our own fault but don't we have the smallest squad in the AP?

As a bath fan i was staying pretty quiet as things are running smoothly however we are now without Fearns, Garvey, Louw and Sisi in the backrow, leaving us with an academy lock as backrow cover on the bench. Full strength Saints to win this easily sadly as our tiny maestros wont have the same front foot ball as they did against the Leicester development cubs. Later in the season however..... we will have injures elsewhere

Seems a bit hasty to have let Mat Gilbert go two weeks ago now!>!