Widnes centre Keanan Brand to have surgery after double leg break on debut
Tuesday 10 April 2018 12:23, UK
Widnes Vikings centre Keanan Brand will undergo surgery on Wednesday after suffering a double leg break just six minutes into his Super League debut.
Brand, who turned 19 in January, broke both his tibia and fibula in a freak accident during the Vikings' 31-12 defeat at Hull KR on Saturday.
Widnes coach Denis Betts said: "It's quite a bad break. He has an operation to have his leg plated tomorrow.
"You feel for the kid, six minutes into his debut. It was just a freak accident, poor kid."
Live Betfred Super League
Ormskirk-born Brand began playing rugby league with the Wigan St Patricks junior club before joining the Widnes scholarship programme at the age of 14. He represented England academy against France last October.
Brand's injury has added to an early-season crisis at the Vikings, who were already with Krisnan Inu, Patrick Ah Van, Lloyd White and Hep Cahill for the visit to Hull.
Utility back Danny Craven (concussion), prop Wellington Albert (hamstring) and fellow front rower Gil Dudson (ankle) will also miss Thursday's home game against Hull.
