Leicester lock Geoff Parling is set to miss rest of season
Leicester lock Geoff Parling has been ruled out for the rest the season with a knee ligament injury.
The second-row picked up the injury in Leicester’s 18-13 Aviva Premiership win over Harlequins, at Welford Road on Friday 19 November.
The injury comes as a huge blow to the player who had just returned from a neck injury. Parling came on as a substitute to play for the first time in four months.
However, the player’s studs got caught in the turf and the lock twisted his knee after only coming on to the pitch for two minutes, in what was his first appearance of the season.
Leiceister’s director of rugby Richard Cockerill told BBC Radio Leicester, “It's a crying shame for us and for him. It's horrendous for him first and foremost—and really bad news for us because we thought we were getting him back and he would really bolster
our second row and forward options. It is a massive loss.”
Leicester will now have to cope without Parling who was expected to feature from the start in Leicester’s Premiership with Newcastle on Saturday 27 November. The team has struggled for form this season and Leicester are currently in fifth position in the
league.
The director of rugby admitted that the Leicester player is in good hands and he feels that Parling will make a successful return to rugby.
"We have to get him fit and well and the club have a very good track record for looking after players really well," said Cockerill.
The Leicester forward was expected to fight for a place in the England squad, but his injury is now expected to rule him out of English coach Martin Johnson’s plans ahead of the World Cup.
“It's a big year World Cup-wise for him. And the likelihood is that he will miss out on that now,” said Cockerill.
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