Leicester Tigers have been dealt a huge blow as British & Irish Lions Tom Croft will miss the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury.
The 27-year-old flanker sustained the injurin Sunday’s 32-15 win over Worcester and, despite thinking it wasn’t as bad as first thought, he underwent surgery this morning on his anterior cruciate ligament.
“We felt it was relatively innocuous but the ACL was ruptured,” said Tigers’ director of rugby Richard Cockerill.
Croft made a fantastic return from a career-threatening neck injury last January and went on to play in the winning British & Irish Lions Series in Australia this summer.
Cockerill added: “It’s horrendous bad luck for Tom because it is only last year that he came back from a very bad neck injury and did so well for England and the Lions as well.
“But these things happen. Tom will make a full recovery but it’s his season over. It’s a blow but we have just got to get on with things.”