London Broncos lose another key man ahead of Super League return as capital club confirm further injury blow

Ben Olawumi
Josh Rourke London Broncos Alamy

Josh Rourke has joined London Broncos for 2024 - Alamy

London Broncos have confirmed a further injury blow ahead of their Super League return, with full-back Josh Rourke breaking his leg in their pre-season friendly against Oldham yesterday.

As announced last week, the Broncos had already lost academy product Bill Leyland, who suffered an ACL injury in one of their other friendlies against Castleford Tigers.

After last season’s shock promotion up from the Championship, Rourke was one of the capital outfit’s new recruits ahead of their first year in the top flight since 2019, with the ex-Salford Red Devils ace signing from Whitehaven.

Broncos boss Mike Eccles handed out just 26 squad numbers in total, including #14 and #23 to Leyland and Rourke respectively, with an already thin squad now made even thinner, and London’s uphill battle getting steeper.

London Broncos lose another key man ahead of Super League return as capital club confirm injury blow to new signing Josh Rourke

Eccles’ side were held to an 18-18 draw at Boundary Park by ambitious League 1 outfit Oldham, with James Meadows, Iliess Macani, Sadiq Adebiyi and, against his former club, trialist Lee Kershaw the men on the scoresheet with tries for London.

Rourke was forced off 23 minutes into the contest with the scoreline at 10-0 in the visitors’ favour, his injury sustained in trying to get over the line himself.

Stopped a yard short, the full-back was forced off in the aftermath with fellow new recruit Gideon Boafo replacing him.

As below, via their X account – @LondonBroncosRL -, the club confirmed his prognosis earlier today.

Their brief post reads: “𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐇 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐊𝐄… London Broncos can confirm that full-back Josh Rourke has suffered a broken leg in the friendly with Oldham. The club will now support Josh in the best possible way on his road to recovery.”

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