Rugby is a physical contact sport and, as such, carries all the thrills and excitements you would expect from armies of two teams of 15 facing each other head on. There is, of course, some level of risk implicit in all this for rugby players and, over the years, there have been some truly devastating injuries sustained on the field of combat. With the 2015 Rugby World Cup in full swing, we thought it would be interesting to review three of the most gruesomely memorable rugby injuries that we’ve witnessed over the years. Be warned: those with a tendency towards squeamishness may wish to stop reading now…
3. Lachie Munro’s Split Lip
In 2014, Kiwi player Lachie Munro received a devastating facial injury in a match between Lyon and Narbonne. Matters were made worse by the fact that Munro’s side, Lyon, went on to be defeated 22-6 by Narbonne!
2. Lewis Moody’s Permanent Eye Damage
A 2010 match between Bath and Gloucester featured a collision between Charlie Sharples and Lewis Moody that left the latter with a bruised retina and slight scar across the back of his left eye. He initially lost sight completely in the left eye for 24 hours, an experience he describes as being “a bit nerve-wracking.”
1. Morgan Stoddart’s Broken Leg
The most tragic injury has to be the one sustained by Wales’ Morgan Stoddart in a pre-world cup warm up against England in 2011. Surgical repairs were required after Stoddart snapped his left leg, an injury which ultimately led to him retiring 14 months later after he failed to fully recover.
