Wigan Warriors have been rocked by the devastating news that star fullback Jai Field will miss the remainder of the Super League season after suffering a catastrophic hamstring injury during Friday's fiery derby clash against Leigh Leopards.
The Australian speedster, widely regarded as one of the most electrifying players in the competition, underwent scans on Saturday which confirmed the worst fears of the Warriors camp. The injury occurred during the first half of Wigan's commanding 34-6 victory at Leigh Sports Village, forcing Field from the field in clear distress.
Massive Blow for Warriors and England
This injury represents a crushing setback not only for Wigan's title defence but also for England's international aspirations. Field had been in scintillating form and was widely tipped to feature in Shaun Wane's national squad for the upcoming Test series against Tonga.
Warriors head coach Matt Peet delivered the grim prognosis, stating: "The initial prognosis isn't good. It's a significant hamstring injury and he'll be out for a considerable amount of time, probably the rest of the season."
Search for Replacement Begins
With Field's season effectively over, attention now turns to how Wigan will fill the enormous void left by their talismanic number one. Academy product Jack Farrimond made his debut off the bench during the match and represents one internal option, though Peet acknowledged the club may need to explore external solutions.
"We'll have to have a look," Peet admitted regarding potential recruitment. "We've got Jack Farrimond who we think highly of and we've got other players who can play in the halves which may free up someone else to play full-back."
The victory over Leigh, while comprehensive, has come at a tremendous cost for the Super League champions as they navigate this significant setback to their campaign.
