'Very sore, but the best outcome': Leeds Rhinos' Toby Warren reflects on 'frightening' injury at Wigan

Rhinos’ reserves match at Wigan Warriors last Friday was called off, early in the second half, after Warren was hurt in a tackle when he was carrying the ball.

He received lengthy treatment on the field at Robin park Arena before being taken by ambulance to hospital, but was discharged later that evening.

“I am all right,” Warren told The Yorkshire Evening Post today (Monday). I am in quite a bit of pain, very sore, but it’s the best outcome I could have got - no fractures or breaks in my neck or back. In that respect, I am quite lucky.

“I am walking, but with restricted movement at the minute. I am just trying to keep my neck moving so I don’t really stiffen up.”

Warren is a member of Rhinos’ full-time squad, having joined them from York Knights at the end of last season.

Of Friday’s incident, he said: “I felt my neck and my back crack and I just lost feeling in my arms and my legs, so I was rushed off to hospital.

“It was [frightening], you don’t know if you’ve done nothing, or you’re going to be in for back surgery the next day.

“I went in to see the physio today and my movement in my neck is getting better, but it’s just one of those things where you’ve got to wait and see how it unfolds, really.

“I am just relaxing and resting my body so tomorrow I can come into training and see the physios and come up with a plan to get me back to full training as soon as I can.”

Warren was full of praise for the care he received from everyone involved. He said: “All the staff at Wigan were ace, I could not speak about them higher.

“I had Matt Peet [Wigan’s head coach] text me yesterday. They were all really good on Friday night and the staff at the Salford hospital and the Leeds staff have been great, especially Sarah [de Mello, lead academy physiotherapist] who looked after me on Friday night.

“All the lads and coaches and staff at Leeds were in contact over the weekend so it has been really nice, feeling part of the club.”

Warren, from York, had spells on loan with Rhinos before beginning a four-year contract last autumn.

Coach Rohan Smith has high hopes for the second-rower and Warren said last week’s experience hasn’t put him off full-time rugby.

“I am loving it [at Rhinos],” he said. “If you look at where I was last November, when I first came into full-time training, compared to where I am now, I am a completely different player.

“I am a lot more confident, on and off the pitch. It has been quite a pivotal moment in my career, going full-time. It has really changed my outlook on the game.”