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Nick Taylor - The West Australian on April 11, 2016, 1:29 am
Western Force injury woes have gone from bad to worse after the heartbreaking last-minute 20-19 loss to seven-times Super Rugby champions Crusaders at nib Stadium on Friday night.
The Force have been hit particularly hard in the front row.
Veteran prop and foundation member Pek Cowan broke his lower left arm in a tackle in the 17th minute and will be out for between six and 12 weeks which could end his season.
Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles dislocated his right shoulder in another tackle with 10 minutes remaining and lost complete feeling in his arm.
The dislocation was so bad it took 20 minutes to reset and it is not yet known how long he will be out.
It is a tough blow for Charles, who was pushing to regain form and on the comeback trail after a frustrating 2015. He tore a pectoral muscle from the bone during a scrum against the All Blacks two years ago.
Cowan’s injury will bring loosehead props Francois van Wyk and Chris Heiberg back into contention. Van Wyk made his first appearance this season from the reserves bench on Friday after dislocating a wrist in pre-season.
New signing, Ireland junior World Cup captain and former Leinster hooker Tom Sexton who moved from the Melbourne Rebels this year, is likely to be called into the squad for the home game against the Waratahs in two weeks if Charles does not recover. The Force have a bye next weekend.
Another option for coach Michael Foley is academy rake Harry Scoble.
Cowan and Charles join playmakers Jono Lance and Luke Burton, back-rower Chris Alcock and winger Marcel Brache on the Force’s injury list. Kyle Godwin should be ready to play the Waratahs and Ian Prior, who left the field with a knee injury on Friday, is also likely to be fit.
Flanker Brynard Stander trained last week after rupturing a bicep against the Chiefs two weeks ago but may not be ready to return.
Coach Michael Foley said he would not use the growing injury toll as an excuse for just one win in seven games that has the Force in last place on the Australian ladder.
“Bumps are part of the game and we have to look beyond that,” Foley said.
“We have a load of injuries, that’s the way it goes, but it doesn’t get any easier.”
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...njuries-mount/
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