'We wouldn't even dare consider him for this week': Lee Blackett issues update on injured Wasps duo Kibirige and Barbeary
Lee Blackett has given an update on injured pair Zach Kibirige and Alfie Barbeary, admitting that Wasps expect to be without them for the next while as they continue the twin-pronged campaign in the Gallagher Premiership and European Champions Cup.
Kibirige was stretchered off at the AJ Bell Stadium with a horror head injury with twelve minutes remaining in the Premiership win over Sale, while Barbeary departed earlier in the same game with a syndesmosis that could yet require surgery depending on what prognosis a specialist gives to the young Wasps forward on Wednesday.
“Alfie has got a syndesmosis injury. He will see the specialist Wednesday so we will know more from then,” said Blackett at his weekly media conference on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s visit to the Ricoh by Exeter, the side that defeated Wasps in last October’s Premiership final at Twickenham. “Whenever you hear that (ankle) injury it’s not the greatest but it’s not out and out disaster.
“Zach is recovering pretty well considering how big a head blow (it was). We wouldn’t even dare consider him for this week. We’re just going to have to see how he goes and monitor him for the next few weeks.
“He was on the bed for a fair bit. I spoke to him 15, 20 minutes after the incident. He was still on the bed then but by the time I came down from doing media he was walking around the changing rooms pretending he was alright. With any of this, especially with what is going on at the moment, it is really important we do the right thing for Zach in this instance and we won’t be rushing him back whatsoever.”
Finding the gap 👀 @atkinsonc_ darts through to score his first #GallagherPrem try for @WaspsRugby in Round 4⃣ 🐝
What did you make of the visitors' performance? 🏉
Highlights and full match replay ➡ https://t.co/EscVBcLRBY pic.twitter.com/pZq6hJaEII
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 28, 2020
Returning to Barbeary, the hooker who has been starring in recent weeks at back row, Blackett added that he had no qualms with how the youngster sustained the injury at the breakdown in Sale, adding that the setback will at least open the door for someone else to hopefully impress in the coming months.
“It’s a rugby incident. I have got no issues. Unfortunately, it just happens,” he said before switching to the potential severity of the injury. “It’s hard to know because there are still question marks here in terms of will he need surgery. If he needs surgery it will be a fraction longer than that [six to eight weeks]. If he doesn’t you’re probably around the right point. It’s a guessing game here until he sees a specialist which he is due to do Wednesday. We will know a lot more Wednesday night what is happening.
“Like any player, he will be frustrated. I have been really pleased with Alfie recently. He has got better and better. He has had big impacts in terms of the game. Disappointing for Alfie but what we have got to do – and I spoke to him this morning [Tuesday] – is he has got to make sure he comes back a better player when he comes back.
“However long he is out for we just have to make sure he comes back better than he left us. It also opens up an opportunity for someone else to come in and do well. Tom Willis came on for him at the weekend. It will give Tom some more game time. Disappointing for Alfie but it will open the door for someone else.”
Mike Umaga has spoken about his son Jacob's involvement in recent England training camps#AutumnNationsCup #ENGvFRAhttps://t.co/bmDehVXh6Y
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 3, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Self proclaimed expert/pundit Andy Goode and his very personal views on referees…Why recalling them in such an article as if he were an undisputed authority on the subject ? Only because fellow writer ?
1 Go to commentsLate growth spurts are a common problem over here. I’m well over 30, and I just started having a growth spurt too. Could be a world class prop soon.
1 Go to commentsas much as the challenge cup is a bit of a nothing competition, winning it would still mean something. last year it was won by toulon, who are now something like 4th in the top 14? The year before it was won by Lyon a season before they finished 3rd in the league. The year before that the final was contested by Montpellier and Leicester - 12 months before they both became domestic champions. That should give Gloucester fans some hope.
1 Go to commentsgreat article - although I can’t help wonder whether the more relevant debate over coming years will be between Ford and Fin Smith!
1 Go to commentsMaking Scott Barrett captain might be a masterstroke….will calm him down & stop brain fades and also take pressure off Ardie, so he can just play his natural monster game. Lets see how that all pans out🧐
8 Go to commentsI’m surprised Scotland are planning to rest key players this summer - I don’t think any other tier 1 nation will be doing the same?
2 Go to commentsGreat analysis Brett and what a shame that RA haven't spent more on the tight five instead. BTW I see the latest 8-9 Combo has dropped, looking forward to that. It's incredible the amount of damage that Hamish and Eddie's egos did in such a short space of time. From memory Eddie drove the initial drive to poach league stars way back in the 00s, with community rugby paying the price in reduced funding. Australia went from 15% of its income being spent on community rugby in 2002 to 2.4% in 2015, sheer madness and look where they are now. Hamish reminds me of Scrappy Doo. Always mouthing off, spoiling for a fight with bigger dogs who'd eat him alive. Sadly RA didn't have a Scooby Doo to bail him out.
12 Go to comments*_“I love watching bone-shuddering tackles, brutal clear-outs, monster ball carries, and crushingly intense scrummaging. I love it. These things make my heart rate spike. These aren’t the only things I love about rugby, but I feel no need to pretend I don’t love them, or to apologise for loving them just in case someone thinks I shouldn’t.”_* beautifully put Flats🔥
3 Go to comments“Hidden comments” all over the place😂 Turlough’s been a busy little boy ey🤭
82 Go to commentsit’ll all be released in an autobiography a few years from now….. “Razor shafted me” blah blah blah. thinking of making Scott Barrett captain might be a good move. Could calm down his brain fades & make him an even better player for them
3 Go to commentsSadly he played far too many games too young. England and France really do need to look after their younger players better.
1 Go to commentsHaving finally been able to watch the first Chasing the Sun (thanks RugbyPass!) - because I refuse to pay DSTV's extortionate monthly fee in SA - after four years, it was amazing to see Mapimpi's story as well as seeing my personal hero, Rassie, breaking down when telling it. There _is_ hope for the country, but only once we've got rid of the crooked and incompetent ANC (and others) who have set out to destroy it. Viva Rassie, viva Kolisi viva rugby!
1 Go to commentsWhether true or not, all the best to you Sam Cane. A warrior of a player and a loyal servant to the ABs! Go get you some yen and have some fun.
3 Go to commentsThe game was changing too much with teams trying to role the dice drawing fouls. Would be better if scrums and the adjudicating problems were resolved but this is a good immediate fix.
42 Go to commentsLike many here I am encouraged by this post. Our forwards are where the real rewards and improvements must come from. With a 50/50 pack against any opposition, our backs could ensure more than 50% of the games will be won. We need Valetini at 6 and Cale at 8 to make the most or a good tight 5, McWright will add to the effectiveness of the pack BUT must get a very good tight 5 out there first.
119 Go to commentsThe key point I think that is missing is that if Joseph wants to guarantee a Lions spot, he really has to play wing in his first year. He is easily going to nail down whatever he wants to do, but with just half a season, how much of a factor he proves to be in the Lions series could be dictated by this initial choice of playing position.
12 Go to commentsthe game was 2 weeks before the challenge cup final. I really don’t believe they needed to rest that many players.
1 Go to commentsI really feel like neither of the Vunipolas is given the respect they deserve. I would have liked to see both of them get a few more caps than they have gotten in the past couple of years, but unfortunately the fact that they both peaked young has meant that for a number of years they have been perceived as disappointments. When they are both retired, in the cold light of day they will be recognised as two of the best players of their generation of any nation.
4 Go to commentsthis generation of saracens players could produce some really incredible coaches. When Farrell retires he could walk into any premiership team as a defence, attack, or kicking coach. Itoje could make it as a defence or a lineout coach, and Jamie George as a lineout or scrum coach. The problem the Vunipolas are going to have is that its not clear what their coaching speciality would be. Neither are great in the set piece, and while they were good in attack and defence, they were never tactical masterminds. Perhaps contact skills would be their ideal brief? Mako perhaps could work in strength & conditioning, but Billy has a bit of a reputation for not taking that side of the game seriously.
4 Go to commentsA very good player.We are finally getting some balance in our team. Plummer..Heem ..Lam a solid..experienced combo who take the sensible options consistently. Clarke was a grt impact of the bench option until Lam moved to 13 to replace an injured Reiko. Cotter is doing a grt job building his team. .
1 Go to comments