Widdop latest, Cooper scans, Leigh blow & Wire injury concerns – Casualty Ward

Keep up to date with the latest injury news in Casualty Ward, this week including Gareth Widdop, Wigan, Leigh and Warrington.

Widdop latest

Castleford are hoping to have experienced half-back Gareth Widdop back in their side for Thursday’s trip to Salford. (Leeds Live)

England international Widdop has missed the last two games against Catalans and Wakefield due to illness, which forced him to isolate when the team was in Perpignan.

Speaking to Leeds Live last week ahead of their derby win over Wakefield, Tigers interim boss Andy Last said they were hopeful of having Widdop back this week, saying: “Hopefully it’s not too serious and he’ll be back in consideration next week.”

Castleford face Salford in Thursday night’s televised Super League match, live on Sky Sports.

Wigan prop to have scans

Wigan lost key front-rower Mike Cooper to a knee injury in the latter stages of their derby win over St Helnes.

Cooper was wearing a protective brace after the match, and Peet confirmed he will go for scans on his knee in the coming days.

“We’re not too sure,” Peet said when asked about the injury to Mike Cooper.

“It’s going to need a scan, it’s his knee. Anything I’d say would just be guessing really.”

Meanwhile, last week Peet confirmed they would be without star man Jai Field for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring injury he sustained in their win over Leigh in Round Seven.

Half-back Cade Cust has missed the last two games against Leigh and Saints due to a bulging disc in his neck.

Leigh suffered an injury blow to Jack Hughes during their Super League Rivals Round defeat to Salford at the Leigh Sports Village.

The Great Britain international left the field with a reported calf issue and limped from the action.

Following the defeat, Leigh head coach Adrian Lam revealed that Hughes would be out “for a long period of time” after suffering a torn calf, saying: “It doesn’t look good.”

Wire injury concerns

Warrington coach Daryl Powell says a couple of his players will go for scans after picking up a couple of knocks in their 20-14 win at Catalans on Saturday, although he didn’t specify who. (Warrington Guardian)

Powell told the Warrington Guardian: “There’ll be a couple of injury concerns out of that game I think, but I’m not 100% yet so I won’t say too much at the minute.”

Mata’utia blow

St Helens were dealt a blow when Sione Mata’utia was stretchered from the field in their 14-6 derby defeat to Wigan on Good Friday.

The former Australia and Samoa international left the action with 10 minutes remaining after being knocked out when going in for a tackle.

Mata’utia was down for several minutes before leaving the field on a stretcher to the applause of both sets of supporters.

Speaking after the game, St Helens coach Paul Wellens said: “He is a bit rattled at the moment as you can imagine. He took a pretty hefty blow.

“He is now conscious, I think he lost consciousness for a while there.

“He’s still at this moment in time in the medical room getting some checks so I’ve not really had the chance to go and see him, I’ve only had a small bit of information from the medical staff.”

Meanwhile, Wellens confirmed last week that prop Alex Walmsley is likely to miss around a month of action with a hamstring injury.

Duo boost Salford

The Red Devils were able to welcome back England international Andy Ackers for their 22-20 win over Leigh on Saturday.

In addition, there were injury fears over Joe Burgess heading into the game after he was forced from the field with a rib injury against Huddersfield the previous week. However, he was cleared fit to play against Leigh in Rivals Round.

Huddersfield suffer double blow

The Giants will be without utility back Ashton Golding for up to three months due to a hamstring injury he suffered in last week’s win at Salford. (The Yorkshire Post)

Huddersfield coach Ian Watson told The Yorkshire Post: “It’s quite a nasty one for him which is unfortunate the way he was playing.”

Half-back Olly Russell was absent from the Huddersfield team that lost 18-17 at Leeds on Sunday, with Watson afterwards confirming that he suffered a hamstring injury in training.

Fusitu’a timeframe revealed

Leeds will be without winger David Fusitu’a for up to two months after the Tonga international suffered an ankle injury in their defeat at Hull KR in Round Seven. (The Yorkshire Post)

Rhinos boss Rohan Smith told The Yorkshire Post: “Fusitu’a has a decent ankle injury which has turned out to most likely be six to eight weeks.”

However, they were able to welcome back Nene Macdonald and Ash Handley for their 18-17 win over Huddersfield on Sunday.

Hull sweat on trio

Tony Smith confirmed Hull FC suffered a triple injury blow in their 40-0 derby defeat to Hull KR on Good Friday (Hull Live)

Australian half-back Jake Clifford and utility back Mitieli Vulikijapani suffered ankle injuries, with Jamie Shaul sustaining a calf strain.

Hull coach Smith told Hull Live: “Shaul has a strain in his calf we think but the other two, Clifford and Vulikijapani, were ankles. We’ll see how they go.”

READ NEXT: Marc Sneyd makes classy gesture to former community club