Bloem injury puts dent in Giants' plans
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Your support makes all the difference.Promoted Huddersfield have suffered a major blow on the eve of the Super League season with the news that one of their winter signings, Jamie Bloem, will be out for three months after breaking his leg. The South African utility player sustained the injury in the pre-season friendly against Leeds last Friday.
"He took a knock to the head and, as he fell to the ground, the same guy landed on him and he got a fracture," said the Giants' coach, Tony Smith, who admitted that the loss of Bloem put a dent in his plans.
St Helens' reigning Man of Steel, Paul Sculthorpe, will miss their trip to France for the Challenge Cup tie against Union Treiziste Catalane on Saturday.
Sculthorpe suffered a recurrence in training of the thigh muscle injury that delayed his participation in Great Britain's Test series against New Zealand last autumn. He did not play in last week's cross-code match against Sale, but says he will be fit for the World Club Challenge against Sydney City on 14 February. "I had it in the Test series and twinged it in Lanzarote, but it is nothing major and I am near enough fully fit now. I'll definitely be playing against the Roosters," he said.
Saints will, however, be without hooker Keiron Cunningham (elbow) and full-back Paul Wellens (cheekbone), who are still recovering from close-season surgery.
The Warrington prop, Nick Fozzard, has been cleared to play in the Challenge Cup tie against Bradford on Saturday. Fozzard was placed on report for an alleged high tackle in the friendly against the London Broncos on Sunday, but has been told that he has no case to answer.
The Bulls will be without two first-choice backs for the tie, with Michael Withers suffering from a groin injury and Tevita Vaikona still recovering from the ankle injury that kept him out of the Kiwi tour.
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