Various pre-season friendly matches have taken place this weekend, ahead of the start of the Aviva Premiership and RaboDirect Pro12 competitions. Furthemore, there has been news of player injuries as well as some player transfer news.
On the player transfer front it has been announced that Lions tighthead prop Jacobie Ariandse has signed a three year contract with Welsh regional side Llanelli Scarlets.
Adrianse joins fellow South African lock George Earle who signed up with Scarlets during the summer. Adrianse will compete for a place in the starting line up with New Zealander Deacon Manu who has extended his contract with the club.
Deacon Manu also made the news this weekend, by being involved in the move that lead to the injury of one time Welsh international Gavin Henson in the Scarlets pre-season friendly against Henson’s London Welsh.
Henson will be out for six weeks with a minor fracture to a cheek bone that he picked up during the first minute of the game while being tackled by Manu. Henson played on for about another 30 minutes before being taken off and rushed away for an X-ray which revealed the fracture.
Earlier in the weekend, prior to picking up the injury, Hensen had dismissed suggestions that he could play for Wales again, by saying that they don’t need him anymore as they are playing way above a level that he is presently at.
In other injury related news, promising young Glasgow Warriors, and Scotland international, fullback Stuart Hogg has also been ruled out of the game for some time.
Hogg will be out for approximately eight weeks after undergoing surgery on an injured ankle. This would mean that Hogg will probably miss out on the Autumn Internationals unless the ankle recovers sooner than expected.
One wonders why the medical staff took so long to make the decision to operate on Hogg as he returned from Scotland’s tour of the Southern Hemisphere way back in June with the injury.
Glasgow lost their pre-season friendly to Exeter, final score: Glasgow Warriors 6-15 Exeter Chiefs. Across on the other side of the central belt fellow Scottish club will be very disappointed with their final pre-season friendly, following a big loss to English club Northampton Saints. Final score: Edinburgh 3-54 Saints.
Meanwhile the Scarlets beat London Welsh in their game. Final score: Scarlets 23-17 London Welsh.
Current Heineken Cup holders Leinster played against Sale Sharks with the match ending in a draw. Final score : Leinster 10- 10 Sale Sharks.