ST HELENS halfback, Theo Fages is facing a spell on the side-lines after playing at Wembley with a fractured 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, Fages out of the previous, Super League game at Wakefield, proved too problematic, and after a couple of uncharacteristic errors he was taken off at half-time, with the score at 12-6 in Castleford’s favour.
“It was obvious he wasn’t quite right in the first half but he’s tough and he wanted to battle on,” explained Coach, Kristian Woolf, who played the versatile Jack Welsby alongside Jonny Lomax in the second half as Saints hit back to win 26-12.
“We haven’t quite got to the bottom of it, but I think the injection might have gone wrong a little bit and Theo 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 him enough though – scoring the first try, his willingness to stay out there, making tackles and keeping on trying.
“He had the problem really early in the piece but battled through it. But he made the right decision at half time; felt like he was letting the group down and 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.”
Saints host Hull KR on Friday, the first of a run of three matches in eleven days, with a home clash with Huddersfield and a trip to Hull following.
