Justin Tipuric has been dealt a heavy blow with the news that he won’t play any rugby this season because of the injury he sustained on Lions duty last summer.
The outstanding Ospreys and Wales flanker has seen his campaign wiped out before it's even begun by the scapula problem he suffered in the Lions v Japan clash at Murrayfield last June.
Ospreys coach Toby Booth said the nature of the injury hadn’t been seen in rugby before and was one that resembled more a ‘road traffic accident’.
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Asked if he expected to see his captain before the end of the campaign, Booth said: “No, no we are not (expecting to see him this season).
“It’s time. The nature of the injury has never been seen in rugby before.
"It’s an injury that resembles more a road traffic accident, so we need to make sure that we’re in a 100 percent right position for him to come back and come back safely.
“The injury didn’t happen with us but it was a collision injury and a direct impact injury.
“It’s like a road accident and you hit the road — it’s that sort of level of impact. If you’re in a position on the ground and you can’t move then the force has to go somewhere and it goes through the body rather than through the floor. That’s the nature of the injury.”
The Ospreys had been hopeful of Tipuric playing a part in the festive derbies but had to have a rethink when the 32-year-old hit unexpected problems.
“We got him back to a point in December — which was encouraging — where he had alleviated the majority of the issues but the last little bit is always the hardest part.
“Luckily we spotted it before he took to the pitch and could have re-injured himself.
“We’re in a situation now where we have to give the true amount of rehab and diligence to what is a significant injury. There’s no rush to get him back and we just want to get him back and playing to the best of his ability.”
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