Blow for Exiles: Parton out for rest of season
LONDON IRISH have been dealt a big blow by the news that exciting youngster Tom Parton is set to miss the remainder of the season through injury.
The academy product and England Under-20 international has burst onto the Exiles scene this season and impressed in his recent run of games at full-back, scoring five tries.
But the 20-year-old is now set for a spell on the sidelines with surgery required to repair the damaged anterior cruciate ligament in his knee before he can begin his recovery.
“Unfortunately Tom has picked up one of those heavy injuries at the start of the season so it’s unlikely that we’ll see him again this season,” Exiles director of rugby Declan Kidney told The Wokingham Paper.
“But what we have to do is look upon that as is you’re going to pick up that injury, get it done now and then have a full pre-season under your belt.
“We look forward to getting him back into the fold next season.”
On the pitch London Irish moved to the top of the Championship table with a hard-fought 38-29 win over Cornish Pirates at Madejski Stadium.
The hosts led 33-8 before Pirates stormed back to within four points following two Exiles yellow cards.
However, Josh McNally dotted down late on for his second try of the afternoon to clinch the win on a day where Topsy Ojo became the club’s all-time leading appearance maker with 291.
Irish can move eight points clear of the chasing pack at the halfway mark if they can win at Jersey Reds on Saturday (2pm).
But Kidney expects a tough task against the Channel Islanders.
“Jersey are scoring points for fun,” he said. “Playing them over in Jersey too, we need to adapt our own game and this is the game that we lost when we were in the Championship two years ago.
“So we’re glad to be where we are right now because we’ll need everything we have going into next week.”