Injury

Salah rehab to take him to Spain

The Liverpool star went off in tears after half an hour of his side's 3-1 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, having hurt his shoulder when falling awkwardly under a challenge from Sergio Ramos on Saturday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said the problem looked "really serious" and, although he was eager to wait for tests, he admitted Salah's prospects of going to Russia were in jeopardy.

The Egyptian FA have since moved to calm fears he will miss the World Cup, claiming tests have shown the injury is not as bad as first suspected.

Coles to miss June series, Super Rugby

It was expected the 31-year-old's rehab from the serious knee injury he suffered six months ago would rule him out of the June series against France, but he told the New Zealand Herald he's not likely to return until August at provincial level.

First-choice Test rake Coles hasn't played since falling awkwardly and damaging cruciate ligaments early in the All Blacks' Test win over France in Paris on November 11.

Over the previous two Super Rugby campaigns he has missed large chunks of games with rib (2016) and concussion (2017) issues but returned late in the season.

Beale ruled out of Brisbane Tens

Beale was ruled out of the Brisbane Tens with an elbow injury, less than a day after being named in the Waratahs squad for the tournament.

The 29-year-old is one of the tournament's promotional ambassadors, suffered the injury in training last week and was unable to shake it off in time.

Beale will still travel with the team and fulfil his ambassadorial role but his absence on the field is a blow to the tournament, with many teams already reluctant to bring their top-line stars.

Hayman said it was disappointing to see a draw card like Beale pull out.

More injury trouble for Blues

Already down a first five-eighth with Otere Black ruled out with a knee injury, the Blues will be without fellow number 10 Stephen Perofeta for up to six weeks after he broke his hand during his side's pre-season win over the Chiefs last week.

The Blues first match is less than three weeks away against the Highlanders meaning back up first-fives, Bryn Gatland and Dan Kirkpatrick, will fight it out for the starting spot.

Youngs ruled out of Six Nations

The Leicester Tigers scrum-half was taken off early on in Rome on Sunday, his evident pain souring what proved to be a commanding 46-15 win for England.

And on Monday the Rugby Football Union (RFU) confirmed the 28-year-old had ruptured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, bringing an end to his tournament.

Youngs will undergo a further assessment with a surgeon later this week, but the RFU said he could be sidelined for up to four months.

Bath concerned by Faletau injury

Faletau was hurt in Bath's European Champions Cup defeat to Toulon, prompting concern for club and country with the Six Nations just eight weeks away.

The back-row missed a chunk of last season and the start of the 2017 Six Nations due to knee ligament injuries.

"I hope it's not the same knee as he injured last season, but it doesn't look good," Blackadder was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"It looked like there was a ruck, he came in from the side and Toby tweaked his medial [ligaments]."

Coles to miss up to six months

Coles was substituted 24 minutes into Saturday's Test in Paris, which ended in a 38-18 victory for the All Blacks.

The Hurricanes man had opened the scoring for Steve Hansen's side but will play no further part in their Northern Hemisphere tour.

The injury requires surgery and carries a recovery period of four to six months.

New Zealand have also confirmed the team that will take on a France XV in Lyon on Tuesday, with six players set to make their first appearance for the All Blacks.

James to miss final preseason game

Superstar forward James tweaked the injury he sustained in a training camp during the Cavs' 108-94 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

The 13-time NBA All-Star will consequently sit out Friday's meeting with the Orlando Magic.

"He didn't practice today. He's experienced soreness so he won't practice tomorrow, he won't play on Friday either, so [he's] pretty mad, pretty p****d off but it is what it is," head coach Tyronn Lue said.

Dagg's rugby year appears over

The 29-year-old injured his knee for the Crusaders in early March and required an operation, only returning to the field in late May.

He went on to play all three British and Irish Lions Tests, as well as a protagonist's role in the Crusaders' Super Rugby triumph, but was rested from the All Blacks' two Bledisloe Cup Tests against Australia.

Characterising his knee niggle as a case of "old man syndrome" last week, Dagg went on to play just fewer than 50 minutes in Saturday's 39-22 win over Argentina.

But the issue appears more serious than Dagg intimated.

Thurston devastated by Origin withdrawal

For the first time since Game Three, 2004 a State of Origin match will be played without Thurston after the champion five-eighth was officially withdrawn from the team, freeing the way for Anthony Milford to prepare for his Origin debut without any doubt.

On Wednesday morning Thurston told the media that he remained hopeful of playing his 37th consecutive Origin match but some testing late on Wednesday afternoon and a subsequent scan early Thursday morning confirmed that his shoulder was in no fit state to take the field and the decision was made.