Whitehaven’s record-breaking winger Andrew Bulman faces a spell on the sidelines.
The teenage flier picked up a facial injury in Sunday’s 30-16 win at West Wales Raiders and will see a specialist today. It appears to be a fractured cheekbone and eye socket, although he did actually finish the game in Llanelli.
Coach Gary Charlton said: “It was down the bottom end and we didn’t actually see what happened, except he took a big hit. When he came off for treatment it was looking as though it was a black eye.
“He finished the game but, in the changing rooms, it was clearly something more serious and he will be assessed by a specialist.”
Bulman wrote himself into the record books in the third round of the Coral Challenge Cup when he scored six tries to equal the total set by former Whitehaven favourite Vince Gribbins, in the 74-6 home win over Wigan St. Patrick’s.
To add to Whitehaven’s worries, fellow winger Dave Thompson had to come off during the game to have ice packs applied to a knock on the knee.
Thompson will be assessed by the Whitehaven physio at Wednesday’s training session and it would be a double blow for Charlton and his coaching staff if they were to lose both wingers for the reunion with Carl Forster on his return to Whitehaven.
Whitehaven have two big games coming up, both at the Recreation Ground as they face Forster’s Hornets in the Coral Challenge Cup and then League One leaders Hunslet.
“It will be a double blow if we were to lose both Andrew and Dave, because both are very good finishers for us. But this is rugby league and injuries do occur so it will give an opportunity to someone else to come in and show what they are capable of,” said Charlton.
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