Ospreys suffer Smith blow
Ospreys back row player Tom Smith will be out until the start of November after suffering a bad shoulder injury.
Smith suffered a blow to his shoulder at the end of last season and has struggled with rehabilitation ever since. It has emerged in the last few days that he will need surgery on his shoulder by the end of the summer, which means he will not play a part in Ospreys' early season plans.
It is a big blow to the side because Smith is one of the better quality members of the playing squad. They will have to quickly promote someone from within the squad to fill his role or go and sign someone else who is currently available.
Smith not playing in the side will leave a big gap that has to be filled quickly. He has a number of playing attributes that make him popular in the side and these have to be considered when judging how much he will be missed. Ospreys cannot rush him back because they risk making the injury worse.
Smith's attributes
Smith is a Wales international and has played a lot of games for Ospreys. This has given him a great depth of experience that he is able to use to his advantage during games. He can read passages of play and do things others can't because of the knowledge he has built up.
He's a leader and the captain of the side will miss him because of this. The captain cannot be expected to martial all areas of a team during an entire game. He will often rely on other players in the side taking care of smaller areas and this is where Smith excelled.
Ospreys will now have to find someone of similar power and size to play in the back row. This is vital because back row players are often used as last lines of defence to break down opposition attacks.
Smith said: "It is frustrating. I had a good run of games at the end of the previous season and the start of last season and I really think I was starting to establish myself. This injury has probably increased that sense of frustration, but I'm looking forward to getting back as soon as I can. Hopefully 2011 will be a better year for me than 2010."
Ospreys must take care
Ospreys must take care of their player if they want him to be ready to play during the first one or two weeks of November. This means giving him the best possible treatment and providing all of the services needed.
If they try and rush him back in any way then it will have a negative effect for the team and for the player. Shoulders are a commonly used part of the body in rugby and any stress over a vulnerable area will be devastating for the player.
He added: "There was no big moment when it happened, it was just a gradual niggle that got worse, and became more and more unstable. A couple of knocks I had towards the end of the season just meant that it was at a stage where something had to be done. You have to expect setbacks like this as a professional rugby player. How you bounce back defines you as a player, I suppose."
Betting advice
Ospreys should be able to cope without Smith for the first few games of the next season. There is no reason to change your betting plans if you were already going to back the side and Smith will only add to the chances of success when he comes back.
Tags: