THERE was more bad team news for Maidenhead Rugby Club this week, after powerhouse winger Simon Cripps received severe burns during an incident on Saturday night.
Coach Simon Edwards was clearly shaken as he revealed that Cripps’ injuries were so severe he may never play again.
He said: “It’s devastating news. He lived for sport.”
On Wednesday, Cripps was reported to be in intensive care at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury.
The news has overshadowed anything on or off the pitch and Edwards was reluctant to talk about tomorrow’s (Saturday) match against Dings Crusaders.
However, last week he did speak about Maidenhead’s defeat to Cheltenham at Braywick.
He said: “It’s a game we could and should have won. We didn’t play excellently, but we played quite well and we’re definitely going in the right direction.
“It’s possible we gave them too much respect but that comes from a lack of confidence. If we had been more positive we could have won it.
“They scored two very fortuitous tries from the base of the scrum, but other than that we were the better side. It was a gritty performance which bodes well for the future.”
However, the prospect of reaching Christmas with only four wins under their belts is a daunting and unusual prospect for Maidenhead, who are usually pondering a shot at the title by this stage of the season.
Edwards said: “We need a good second half to the season. We have a small squad and a lot of injuries in a league where there are no bad sides.
“But our team spirit is very good and the players realise we could have won on Saturday.
“It’s backs to the wall time for us. Most people would say we don’t have a chance, but upsets do happen.”