England Rugby Star Out for the Season After Brutal Injury Blow
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England international full-back Max Malins has been dealt a devastating blow, with the Bristol Bears star sidelined for the rest of the season following an Achilles rupture in training on Tuesday.
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Malins, 27, who made his England debut in 2020, has become one of the Premiership’s most versatile backs, equally at home at full-back, wing, or fly-half. After graduating from Saracens’ famed academy, he enjoyed a successful loan spell with Bristol during the 2020-21 season, winning the Premiership Golden Boot for his outstanding try-scoring exploits. Following his permanent move to Ashton Gate this summer, he quickly established himself as a key player for Pat Lam’s side.
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Flying form halted
The injury comes at an especially cruel time for Malins, who was on the cusp of returning from a knee injury sustained against Bath in October. He had been named internally to face Leicester Tigers this weekend in a mouthwatering duel against England rival Freddie Steward at Welford Road.
However, disaster struck at the Bears’ High-Performance Centre when Malins made a sharp change of direction during training. In an agonizing moment, he collapsed to the ground with no one around him. A specialist assessment confirmed the worst—a ruptured Achilles—and Malins has since undergone surgery.
Pat Lam’s reaction
Bristol’s director of rugby Pat Lam expressed his sympathy for the full-back:
“I have some unfortunate news. We named Max Malins to be involved this week and he started off training really well and then unfortunately he ruptured his Achilles. I really feel for Max because he was flying for us at the start of the season and then started to do some training with us last week, modified with the return to play group.”
Lam also highlighted the rarity of such an injury under his tenure:
“It is the first time we have ever had anyone rupture their Achilles during my time here. As most people know, it is a big injury, but we will know more after his surgery.”
England hopes dashed?
Malins' injury will likely rule him out of contention for England's Six Nations squad in 2025, adding to head coach Steve Borthwick's selection headaches. Known for his silky footwork and sharp rugby IQ, Malins has been a trusted option for England, featuring prominently in the 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign.
With Bristol and England deprived of one of their brightest talents, rugby fans will hope for a speedy recovery from a player who has proven time and again that he can rise to any challenge.
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The post England Rugby Star Out for the Season After Brutal Injury Blow appeared first on Ruck.
