Championship forward suffers season-ending ACL injury

Championship club Widnes have announced that forward Liam Bent will miss the rest of the 2023 campaign after suffering an ACL injury.

Bent suffered the injury to his right knee during a training session a couple of weeks ago.

Scans have now revealed a rupture to his ACL, meaning he will play no further part of the remaining Championship season.

“Liam is due to undergo surgery today, and we wish him all the best with his recovery,” a club statement read.

Widnes dealt another injury blow

Photo: Olly Hassell/SWpix

Widnes suffered an injury blow to influential half-back Danny Craven in the opening minutes of their 11-4 defeat at Batley on Monday night.

The 31-year-old was forced from the field in the early stages of the game with a calf injury, forcing a re-shuffle in the backline, with Matty Fozard joining Jack Owens in the halves and Jordan Johnstone playing a full 80 minutes at hooker.

“It looks like he’s torn his calf muscle, we’ll have to determine the grade of the tear,” Widnes coach John Kear said of Danny Craven. “And that was done with the first kick that he put in of the game, on his standing leg.

“Obviously it affected us and how we played. But you know, I thought Foz did a really good job moving in there and Jordan Johnstone moved from 13 to nine and played the full 80.

“They’ve certainly put the shift in and they’ve worked really hard, but we’ve just come up short.

“One try apiece, chances were at a premium. I think you may well say we had more chances, but we didn’t nail them.”

Next up for the Vikings is a Championship clash with league leaders Featherstone at the DCBL Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

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