THREE players who sustained serious injuries last Saturday are in the early stages of their recovery.

Witney’s Adam Copperwheat was stretchered off against Chippenham after losing all movement and feeling in the left side of his body during the South West 1 East fixture.

Banbury’s Dan Kirwin and Gosford All Blacks’ Tom Costley were also forced off after suffering a broken wrist and ankle respectively.

Copperwheat has previously had issues with bulging discs in his neck, but has not had a problem for 18 months until last weekend.

The hooker, who was discharged from hospital on Saturday night, said: “I got my chin pinned to my chest in a scrum.

“When the opposition tight-head drove up he took me up with him, but I was unable to get my head out the scrum to relieve the pressure.

“This resulted in a searing pain going down my spine and in to my legs and as a result I was left with no movement or feeling in the left side of my body.

“Feeling returned later that night, but I will be returning to hospital next week for further scans and a nerve conduction study.

“I’m pretty much all sorted now, but I don’t have full mobility in my left arm and leg, although I’ve been told this will return eventually.”

Banbury winger Kirwin suffered a broken and dislocated wrist when he was on the receiving end of a tackle against Newbury Blues in South West 1 East.

The injury led to the match being stopped ten minutes early to allow an ambulance on to the field.

Head coach Matt Goode said: “Dan’s all right – hopefully he will be back within three months.

“He’s had a metal plate put in.

“He broke two bones, has an open fracture and it was dislocated.

“He had surgery that night and the doctors did a great job on him.”

Costley broke his ankle during Gosford’s win at Tadley in the BB&O Premier.

He has undergone an operation and is expected to be sidelined for six to nine months.