Carreras is ruled out of the European semi-final
ARGENTINA utility back Santi Carreras will miss Gloucester Rugby’s European Challenge Cup semi-final against Benetton this weekend.
Carreras, who is first choice at fullback for the Cherry & Whites but was also the Pumas’ starting fly-half at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, has not featured in either of Gloucester’s last two Gallagher Premiership games due to appendicitis.
Gloucester are short of options in the 15 jersey with Lloyd Evans also out, having had surgery on his hand. Winger Jake Morris filled in for the 38-17 defeat to Exeter on Sunday and did himself no harm, but does not have the X-factor of Carreras, right, who is one of the biggest stars in the squad at the moment.
Rugby director George Skivington said: “Santi had to go to the hospital last week and have his appendix taken out, so that wasn’t ideal but obviously unavoidable. It is what it is, and you have got to move on. It will rule him out next weekend.”
Gloucester’s injury problems are not just at full-back, with Skivington naming three scrum-halves in the 23 for Sunday’s Premiership encounter at Kingsholm, with Caolan Englefield covering fly-half from the bench and Adam Hastings and George Barton currently absent.
Englefield, who played at ten in his youth, but is very much now a scrum-half, replaced Charlie Atkinson at stand-off during the game.
Skivington added: “We only had one specialist fly-half available. I am hoping we will have more next week, but I will find out when I sit down with the medical team.”
On the game against Exeter, where Jonny May, Jack Clement and Arthur Clark scored tries for Gloucester, boss Skivington said: “I don’t think we were quite there. I am not happy with the Premiership this season, we want to be better. It has been a season of highs and lows. You win some silverware (Premiership Cup), but you don’t do so well in the Premiership, which is disappointing.”