Knee injury ends Shipperley's 2016 Rebels season

Tue, Apr 19, 2016, 2:24 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
Dom Shipperley will miss the rest of 2016. Photo: Getty Images
Dom Shipperley will miss the rest of 2016. Photo: Getty Images

Rebels winger Dom Shipperley is set to miss the rest of the season after rupturing his ACL against the Hurricanes.

Shipperley was carried off the field in the 16th minute after falling awkwardly in a tackle, just seven minutes after scoring his first try of the season.

The 25-year-old has been one of the form players for the Rebels this season, one of 11 Rebels recently invited to the Wallabies camp. 

Rebels general manager Badel Stephenson said it was disappointing to lose Shipperley.

“We’re shattered for Dom, he’s been a consistent performer during the first-half of the year for the Rebels, but unfortunately a contact injury has prematurely ended his Super Rugby season,” he said.

“The Rebels will make sure that we support Dom throughout his rehabilitation process and look forward to seeing him back big, stronger and better than ever.”

Shipperley's injury is the latest in a luckless career, after a long-term ankle injury ended his 2014 season prematurely at the Queensland Reds, ahead of his move to the Rebels.

Shipperley is not the only injury hit the rebels have received this week, with inside centre Mitch Inman also set to miss a month with a hand injury.

Inman was a late withdrawal from the Rebels team to face the Hurricanes last weekend with the injury

On the bright side for Melbourne, Colby Fainga’a is a chance to line up for the first time since round one, recovering from an elbow injury he suffered in that opening win over the Force.

A handful of Rebels players could be in line to return for the Rebels matches against the Chiefs or Force, including Inman.

Winger Tom English, currently sidelined with a knee injury,is slated to be back in four weeks, while Mike Harris (quad) could be back in five.

Lock Steve Cummins could be back in the next fortnight, with a hamstring injury set to keep him out for anywhere from two t o four more weeks.

The Rebels host the Cheetahs at AAMI Park this Friday night, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST.

 

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