St Helens halfback Theo Fages is facing a spell on the sidelines, with League Express understanding that he played at Wembley with a hairline fracture of his shoulder.
The France international, said to be on Huddersfield’s wanted list as they look to replace Leeds-bound Aidan Sezer, had an injection before the Challenge Cup final in a bid to get him through the big match, in which he scored the opening try.
But the injury, which had kept the 26-year-old former Salford player out of the previous game at Wakefield in Super League, proved too problematic for both his passing and tackling game. After a couple of uncharacteristic errors, Fages was taken off at half-time, with the score 12-6 in Castleford’s favour.
Coach Kristian Woolf, who played versatile Jack Welsby alongside Jonny Lomax in the second half as Saints hit back to win 26-12, said at the time: “It was obvious he wasn’t quite right in the first half, but he’s tough and wanted to battle on.
“We haven’t quite got to the bottom of it, but I think the injection might have gone wrong a little bit and he had some arm numbness. You saw a couple of times where he went to throw a pass and just didn’t have the power.
“I can’t praise Theo enough – scoring the first try, his willingness to stay out there, making tackles and keeping trying.
“He had the problem really early in the piece and battled through it. He made the right decision at half time – he felt like he was letting the group down but he knew he wasn’t doing his job.
“We were lucky to have Jack Welsby on the bench to do as he has done many times. Wherever we put him he does an outstanding job.”
Woolf’s second-placed side are scheduled to play two Super League matches in six days, at home to Huddersfield on Wednesday and at Hull the following Monday, August 2.
Friday’s home clash with Hull KR was called off because of Covid issues at Saints.
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