Hockings goes under the knife
Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:17
Western Force lock Tom Hockings will undergo surgery on his injured right shoulder on Monday, ruling him out of the team's tour to the United Kingdom in August.
The Bowen-born lock was a revelation for the Western Australian side this season, seizing his opportunity and cementing a place in the starting XV after he was called on as a last minute-replacement for captain Nathan Sharpe in the season-opening clash with the Sharks in Durban.
Starting all but the final three matches of the team's Super 14 campaign, the 22-year-old was rubbed out of representative calculations when he succumbed to nerve damage in his right shoulder.
Western Force team doctor Peter Steele said subsequent examination of the injured shoulder revealed existing ligament damage which required surgical repair.
"Tom was carrying some labour-related ligament damage in the shoulder but unfortunately we couldn't have it operated while he was recovering from the nerve injury," said Steele.
"He'll have a labour repair procedure tonight [Monday] and will be in rehabilitation mode for up to four months." he said.
Hockings will be unavailable for the team's month-long tour of the UK in August and is expected to rejoin the squad for 2009 pre-season training in October.
In other team news, rookie Western Force wing Dane Haylett-Petty has arrived on the representative scene in emphatic fashion over the weekend, crossing for four tries in Australia's gallant 81-12 victory over Canada at the International Rugby Board (IRB) Junior World Championships in Wales.
Haylett-Petty, a product of the Hale School in Perth, became only the second WA junior to represent the Western Force after making his debut against the Chiefs in the Week 12 clash at Subiaco Oval.
