Amersham & Chiltern hit by Smith injury blow

Aug 4 2011

AMERSHAM and Chiltern Rugby Club will be without star flanker Darren Smith, who has been ruled out until Christmas because of a shoulder injury picked up at the tail end of last season.

But the club are well prepared for the loss – with a raft of potential replacements on stand-by to link up with the other half of last season’s dynamic duo of flankers, Wayne Wilson, in the coming season’s assault on National League 3.

That assumes Wilson will be an automatic choice, having already had top-level experience playing for Brothers RFC, Rockhampton, Queensland and the Queensland Outback Barbarians RFC, who toured the USA.

Among the players jostling to fill the position left vacant by Smith will be former Chiltern Colt Graham Foster and newcomer Ben French, who has previously played for Petone RFC in New Zealand and represented Wellington at U21 and U19 levels.

Others in the frame are Luke Antos and Danny Samuels. Other back rowers who could step in to play as flanker are Jason Ah Tong from New Zealand and ex-colt Dan Woods.

Ah Tong has experience with the Celebration Lions RL from Christchurch, who play in the Canterbury Rugby League.

He has also played rugby league in Yorkshire.

Woods featured in a number of first-team games in the second half of last season and should be back from his travels to compete for a place in the first XV.