Is it season over for Garvey?
November 12 2008
Worcester Warriors have been left in injury limbo over Marcel Garvey's fate with an 'operation to drill the hip' mooted.
Following a solid period of form for his club over the tail end of last season, finisher Garvey has not played since August after suffering a blood flow problem in his hip joint.
And Warriors Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock is concerned but remaining patient over the 25-year-old's nightmare injury problem.
"There's no real time scale on his return. The best-case scenario is towards the end of the season," he said.
"Worst case scenario is an operation to drill the hip to increase the blood flow and that we see him next season.
"The initial prognosis was to put him on crutches so there was no weight on the joint, to get more blood flow.
"That hasn't really happened. The operation is obviously the last thing on the check list. Hopefully, it won't come to that and we'll start to see some improvement over the coming weeks.
"It is a serious condition, though, and we need to make sure we manage it properly, give him every chance to recover and not force him back."
Worcester currently sit second bottom of the Guinness Premiership and have only scored more points than bottom side Bristol and fourth placed Sale.
And without Garvey in contention for the immediate future, Ruddock is keeping his spirits up.
"We've seen a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the next stage of treatment, even if that means taking some medication," he said.
"If the surgeons think that is best, we'll do that and hopefully see some improvement.
"It is frustrating for him because he just wants to get out there and play, especially after having such a good pre-season.
"He's in the club daily and is a good, fine young man who has a young family. We'll make every effort to make it right and not pressurise him."