Alisha Butchers’ Injury
One of the consequences of World Rugby allowing a generous 32 players to form a squad was to make the need for replacements less likely.
Now we know that Wales’ Alisha Butchers has suffered a serious knee-injury and will return home for treatment, the issue comes live.
Butchers was a central figure in Wales’ game-plans after several outstanding performances. For the opening match of the World Cup Ioan Cunningham’s back-row read: 6 Butchers, 7 Callender, 8 Harries.
It meant that, uniquely, Siwan Lillicrap became the only touring captain not to lead her side on to the field. Also waiting her turn was Bethan Lewis. Gwen Crabb was missing from the line-up against Scotland, so Georgia Evans, surely a born No 6, was asked to replace her; even Lillicrap has been drafted in there. So, unlike the second-row, there is plenty of back-up among the loose-forwards.
The Welsh management may not be the only one to have to ponder such matters. Quite apart from a ready choice of replacement, other non-rugby concerns come into the equation: the time needed to travel and acclimatise; the costs involved (many unions are short of readies), and so on.
Calling in a 33rd player would not give the chosen 32 any sort of confidence-boost, sorely needed as their next challenge is against the hosts, newly restored to vigour and optimism. The staff may well decide to leave matters as they are.
We wish Alisha well, and regret her departure from the scene. It is a sad irony that this injury comes a year after her ankle injury that left her without sufficient medical insurance to pay for an operation: neither her club nor her national union covered the need; she had to crowd-fund. At least some things have improved since then.
