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Injury jinx just won’t go away

Jenny Dixon
16/ 5/2007

THE injury jinx that blighted Sale Sharks last season has claimed a new victim.

Ironically French prop Benoit Bourrust was in Stockport for a medical test, ahead of joining the Premiership side this summer, but he twisted his ankle during the check.

Bourrust, who has enlisted from Auch, will undergo a scan and may require minor surgery.

The club expect to find out the prognosis next week.

Head coach Kingsley Jones said: "We are still going to pick up injuries, we can't say that we'll have none next season because we had so many this year. We've just got to take it on the chin."

Bourrust missing any of next season would be a huge blow for Sharks, who could lose between six and 16 players to World Cup duty.

Jones added: "One thing that concerns me is we don't know where we are with the World Cup.

"Some countries are not naming places until late August so we won't know what we've got to work with.

"I think Samoa, France and Argentina will name their squads early, and I hope England will too."

But for now there are the more pressing concerns for Jones - recruitment.

Sharks are apparently close to signing another player, adding to the five signatures already secured, although no details as to the identity of the potential new addition are yet available.

Some clubs are reportedly offering huge sums to lure players, one of the most talked about being Leicester who are apparently attempting to bring in Argentinian full-back Juan Martin Hernandez for £300,000 a year and willing to pay Stade Francais a £200,000 transfer fee.

The question is, with internationals and a large squad, how can Tigers stay within the £2.4 million salary cap?