Atkins injury blow for Chiefs

By Mark Stevens
7/2/18

Exeter Chiefs have been dealt an untimely injury blow with the news that lock Ollie Atkins could be out for up to three months after injuring his knee.

The 29-year-old Australian limped off in the early stages of last Saturday's 43-20 Anglo-Welsh Cup win over Saracens - and subsequent scans have revealed significant damage to his knee.

"He's got a pretty significant knee injury," said Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter at his weekly media briefing. "It's not going to require surgery, at least that's what the initial scans show, but it is going to be one of those 8-12 week MCL ligament injuries."

Atkins has played seven times for the Premiership champions this season, having returned to fitness last month after being hurt in an Anglo-Welsh Cup match with Northampton Saints in early November.

"This is his opportunity to get in a pre-season really," added Baxter. "In any other sport you'd say two months out is your opportunity to majorly work on other areas of your physical development and of your game and that's what Ollie's got to make sure he does now.

"This is two months added to the end of his career, not two months taken away form his career."