England v New Zealand: Celebrate Our Sporting Heroes
The mind boggles when it comes to the types of injuries sportsmen have to endure for the love of their game. We're not talking a bit of ankle sprain or man-flu. Just honest to goodness face grimacing injuries that wouldn't go amiss in a Jet Li flick!
Aye there's method in our madness and we'll get there in the end! We refer of course to this weekend's rugby action when England takes on the All Blacks in Auckland.
Mike Tindall is back on the squad to play in first test match since his Six Nations injury. He landed on the boot of Wales winger Mark Jones and get this, punctured his lung, was left with a hole in his liver and had a three-day stint in intensive care. This could have almost ended his England career but the 29 year-old said he was never worried about that:
"Injuries have been a bit of a bugger to me and I've missed a few games I'd like to have played in, but these are the big games you really want to play in - New Zealand in New Zealand. The Six Nations wasn't an easy time for me, so to be back starting against the All Blacks is huge honour and one that I'm looking forward to."
Inspired by Mike's bravery we thought a rundown of our top five (eye-watering, cringeworthy and often downright dumb) sports injuries, were in order:
1 - Coventry Or Busst
Coventry City defender David Busst's 1998 corner gone wrong. This was no ordinary leg break when he collided with Man U's Denis Irwin and got himself a backward L-shaped break with the tibia and fibula snapping and popping through the skin. Enough to send Peter Schmeichel off to throw up.
2 - Infectious Cough
Wigan rugby league player Aussie Jamie Ainscough's 2003 mystery arm infection. After having such a bad infection in his arm that it almost needed amputation doctors finally revealed the problem. X-rays found a tooth belonging to St Helens' Martin Gleeson had been embedded in there.
3 - Shelford's Nut-cracker Suite
Kiwi rugby hard nut (literally) Wayne Shelford's 1996 clash against France. Finding himself at the bottom of the pile Shelford had his nut-sack ripped open by an opponent's studs only to leave a bollock hanging on by a string. As well as losing four teeth and getting stitched up, he carried on playing!
4 - Gatting's Nose Job
Mike Gatting's tour of the Windies in 1986 and Malcolm Marshall's blinding ball attack. Gatting was struck clean in the nose, splattering it flat. England lost the Test 5-0 whilst Marshall's ball was discovered to have shards of Gatting's nose cartilage embedded in the leather!
5 - Henry You Plonker!
And the prize for downright dumb on-pitch antics, we present Arsenal's Thierry Henry and his 2000 goal celebration against Chelsea. He's an acrobatic fellow most of the time but running into the corner flag and almost poking his eye out has to be the dumbest move ever!
To watch and place a bet on our sporting heroes check out Bodog Sport. It's where real men live!
Submit Your Comment