RUGBY: Injury allows brother to play at Twickenham

From the Oxford Mail, first published Saturday 3rd Jun 2006.

James Hewitt was supposed to be on tour in Dubai this week after playing for Oxon at Twickenham But he is now laid up at home in Thame with his right leg in plaster following a freak injury just before County Championship Plate final.

Hewitt was kicking a ball in the Twickenham car park when he stumbled in a pothole and fractured his shin in four places.

The 20-year-old full back was later treated in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital where he must now return for regular check-ups.

He said: "I couldn't believe it. I just fell in a hole in the car park. It was going to be one of the best days of my life, but it turned out to be one of the worst.

"I was supposed to go to Dubai with the Chinnor team last week, but obviously that couldn't happen.

"I knew that I had broken my fibula and sprained my ankle. I went back to hospital and the good news is that it is all in line."

Hewitt, who has just finished his first year studying at Leeds Metropolitan University, must now channel all his efforts towards recovery.

He said: "They've got to X-ray me once a week for the next four weeks to ensure nothing slips out.

"I will spend the next four weeks in a non-weight-bearing cast and two more in a weight-bearing one. After that I may start doing physio, that's if I don't need an operation."

Hewitt's nightmare injury meant his brother Ben, 18, was promoted to the bench. And Ben played the last few minutes as Oxon lost 21-17 to Notts, Lincs & Derbys.

James said: "Ironically I was saying to Ben beforehand, 'you never know someone might get crocked in the warm-up and you could go on and play'. I never thought it was going to be me."

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