Horan ruled out for rest of season
April 19, 2002

Saracens centre Tim Horan was taken to hospital on Friday night with a fractured wrist, ruling him out of the club's crucial end of season run-in.

The former Australia international and coach at Vicarage Road was injured only 12 minutes into Saracens' 23-3 defeat at Sale, which leaves them hovering perilously above the relegation zone.

Horan is expected to be in plaster for at least six weeks and though his replacement Tom Shanklin was bright, the loss of his experience will be a difficult hurdle for the club.

Only five points separate Saracens from bottom side Leeds with three games remaining in a tense relegation dogfight.

Saracens also lost Richard Hill with a suspected ankle knock and fly-half Luke Smith during the defeat at Heywood Road and chief executive Peter Deakin admitted the treatment room at the club is getting worryingly full.

Although Thomas Castaignede is on the recovery path, England scrum-half Kyran Bracken is also out with concussion and Deakin said: "We'll have to have a clearing house! Tim has a broken bone in his hand, we'll have to have a look at Richard and assess that. Luke had a twinge in a hamstring."

Deakin does not believe, however, that the loss of Horan will be detrimental to the confidence of a squad boosted by the news yesterday that international Craig Quinnell, Christian Califano and Nicky Little will be joining next season.

"(Horan's injury) shouldn't affect the moral at all, I hope. I thought the young guys had a dig (against Sale) and that augurs well in itself" he said.

"They (the new signings) won't be able to come quick enough for us."

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