Rice facing four months on sidelines

PLYMOUTH Albion prop Martin Rice could be out of action for up to four months after a scan yesterday confirmed he has suffered a grade two tear to his knee ligaments.

Rice sustained the injury in last Saturday's 37-9 National Division One defeat at Bedford Blues.

The highly-rated prop, who would be one of the first names on Albion's teamsheet, was forced to leave the field on 46 minutes, when he was replaced by Ryan Hopkins.

"It is bad news – Martin could be out for up to four months," said Albion's chairman of rugby Graham Dawe.

"He has suffered a grade two tear and he will need to keep his knee immobilised for several weeks to help with the healing process.

"At this moment in time, they are not anticipating having to perform an operation.

"But there is still a chance it may happen."

Rice has already recovered from two potentially career-threatening injuries in the past 18 months, having torn both his posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments last season and suffered a prolapsed disc in his neck during the 2007-07 campaign.

His latest setback means the 26-year-old will be unavailable for selection for the majority of the remainder of 2008-09.

Albion's season finishes at home to Leeds on April 25 – five months away.

However, Dawe is hoping the prop will still play some part in the campaign.

"Martin could be back this season," said Dawe. "When he was rehabilitating before, he came back quicker than what was expected.

"But we will not put any pressure on him because this is another injury and it takes as long as it takes.

"If it is four months, he will be back in late March.

"So Martin could still have some involvement at the end of the season."

Rice's injury means he joins fellow prop James Tideswell on the sidelines.

Summer signing Tideswell is out for the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The duo's absence means Albion currently only have two specialist first team props available – Jané du Toit and Hopkins – for Saturday's home clash with Esher at Brickfields.

Their only other options are Gareth Evans, who has been playing in the back-row but can cover hooker, or Andy Williams who has been playing for Albion's development team, the Westcountry Warriors.

Dawe admitted he is planning on bringing in another body to Plymouth's squad – hopefully in time for Esher.

"We were waiting to hear news on Martin's injury as to what we do next," said Dawe. "Now we know, we are going to need to get someone in, although it may not necessarily be a loan signing.

"I think it is only fair on the squad that if we can, we add to the numbers."

Joining Rice on the sidelines on Saturday is fly-half Kieran Hallett.

Hallett was forced to leave the field at half-time of last weekend's game at Bedford after suffering a facial injury.

However, fellow fly-half Alex Davies – who scored 20 points in the Warriors' 35-16 win over Redruth IIs last Sunday – is fit having recovered from a hernia operation at the end of September.

"Kieran is ruled out this weekend because he has blurred vision," said Dawe.

"But we are hopeful he will not be out for too long.

"As for Alex, there were no repercussions from Sunday."

While Rice's injury is bad news for Albion, there are some positive vibes coming out of Brickfields in the shape of Liam Gibson, Geoff Griffiths and Colin Stewart.

The trio are all on the comeback trail after spending time on the sidelines.

Gibson has missed six matches with a hamstring injury, Griffiths has not played for the first team since breaking his jaw against Exeter Chiefs on October 11, while Stewart has been out since undergoing an operation to repair a tear in his cartilage on November 4.

"Both Liam and Geoff have trained this week and they seem fine," said Dawe.

"Colin is back running, and although he cannot do any contact at the moment, he is back ahead of schedule."

ALBION winger Justin Mensah-Coker keeps his place in Canada's side for their match against Scotland this weekend.

Mesah-Coker has played the full 80 minutes in Canada's defeats against Wales and Ireland.

Club colleague Sean-Michael Stephen is on the bench for Canada for the second week running.

He started the game against Ireland but came on as a replacement against Wales.