St Helens boss provides the latest on Batchelor and Knowles injuries
St Helens forward Joe Batchelor was pictured with one leg in a protective boot in the 30-18 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The England international started the game but was spotted with a boot in the shed at half-time, sparking panic among Saints fans on social media.
But St Helens head coach Paul Wellens has reassured fans, saying it is just a precaution.
Wellens said: “He was put in a shoe by the physios as a precautionary measure.
“Until we get it checked out, Joe is pretty confident there isn’t any serious damage. Given the game and the way it was going, there was no need to force him to go back there.
Morgan Knowles ‘good for next week’
Meanwhile, Morgan Knowles was the only member of the Saints’ traveling team not to face the Dragons.
The England enforcer missed the game due to illness. But Wellens is confident he will be back for Saturday’s World Club Challenge against the Penrith Panthers.
Wellens said: “Morgan Knowles missed tonight’s game. He was a bit knocked out and didn’t feel so good.
“Morgan is an important player for us so we thought we should push him to play tonight, especially if you’re not feeling well in those conditions it can set you back two, three, four or five days so wanted to we don’t do that to him. He’ll be ready to go next week.”
And Wellens confirmed the plan has always been to only give 40 minutes to Will Hopoate and Mark Percival, both of whom have struggled with injuries in the past.
He added: “The plan all along was for Mark and Will to play 40 minutes.
“Sometimes the temptation as a coach is to push for 50 or 60 because you want to see how much more you can get out of them. It was important tonight that we were really disciplined with these guys. We and they got out of the game exactly what we wanted them to do.”
St Helens boss praises Welsby and Dodd
England’s rising stars Jack Welsby and Lewis Dodd impressed in their win over the Dragons and were applauded by Wellens after the game.
He said: “In Lewis and Jack we have two great young lads who are an absolute pleasure to coach. Not only are they great players, they are great guys.
“We are delighted that they are part of our team and are determined to be successful for us.
“They are two exciting young players who are already the best players in the Super League.
“They are complemented very well by the older minds around them like James Roby and Jonny Lomax. Their progress was probably accelerated by being with the likes of Jonny and James.”
CONTINUE READING: Five takeaways from the St. Helens’ win over the St. George Illawarra Dragons
The article St Helens boss provides the latest on Batchelor and Knowles’ injuries, appeared first on Loverugbyleague.com.