DART SPARES BRITS’ BLUSHES
STARS BEHIND STRICKEN PROP
ALEX WALMSLEY says the whole of rugby league is behind his former teammate Mose Masoe following his spinal injury.
The Hull KR prop had emergency surgery last week after making a tackle in a pre-season game at Wakefield.
He is continuing his recovery in a specialist unit at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, but has been told that his playing career is over and his focus is now on trying to walk again.
A fund-raising page for Masoe has passed its £30,000 target, including a donation from Rob Burrow, who was recently diagnosed with motor neurone dis30-year-old ease. Others, including
Walmsley, have auctioned prized shirts to support the
■ and the England prop says that is typical of the sport.
Walmsley, who suffered a broken neck two years ago, said: “That’s one thing you can take from rugby league and we’ve seen it in recent months. We might not have the finances and sponsorthe ship of other sports, but there’s a real togetherness and we look after each other.
“Mose big man he’s a character well.
“On the field he has this reputation as a physical man who runs hard and tackles hard, but off is a but big as field he is a caring, generous person who would do anything for anyone.
“He’s definitely got a challenge ahead, but he’s a tough man with a loving, supporting family.
“It is comforting knowing that he’s got not just his family but the whole sport rooting for him.
“If it had been any other player my heart would have gone out to them, but having been mates with Mose for a few years and getting to know him well as a person, I was absolutely gutted.”
Masoe this week posted a message on Instagram via his wife Carrisa. He said: “Everyone has their own battles that they are fighting themselves and this has become my new battle for now.
“The way I’m going to attack this is with a positive attitude and a big smile on my face. Business as usual.”
HARRIET DART saved Britain’s best till last at the Australian Open yesterday, and was rewarded with a glamour tie against Wimbledon champion Simona Halep. Jo Konta had led the early retreat from Melbourne when the No.12 seed suffered the biggest upset of the tournament so far against world No.78 Ons Jabeur. She was followed home by Kyle Edmund, Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie.
But British No.3 Dart avoided a total British wipeout despite losing eight
from NEIL McLEMAN in Melbourne consecutive games before beating Misaki Doi 2-6 6-4 7-6. The 23-year-old Londoner finished strongly by winning nine of the final 10 points in the third-set tiebreak against the world No.82.
“It’s up there with the best performances of my career, I was just relieved to get the win in the end,” Dart said.
Konta confessed she was too rusty for a Grand Slam after losing for the first time in the opening round of the tournament. The British No.1, who had only played one match since the US Open because of tendonitis in her right knee, went down 6-4 6-2 in 63 minutes.
Edmund led 5-2 overnight against No.24 seed Dusan Lajovic but lost 7-6 6-3 7-6. He has now lost in the first round here twice since reaching the 2018 semis.
Boulter put up a fight against No.5 Elina Svitolina but lost the big points as she went down 6-4 7-5 in her first Grand Slam for a year.
British No.3 Norrie took only five of 16 break points against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert before losing 7-5 3-6 3-6 7-5 6-4. “It was tough – I was in complete control of the match,” he said.