By Brian Dick, Coventry Telegraph
September 22 2009

PHIL Maynard has been given a boost by the news that the injury to Canadian international Aaron Carpenter is not as bad as first feared. The Coventry rugby director lost his new No 8 after 50 minutes of Friday’s 27-13 defeat at home to Exeter. The 26-year-old hurt his knee against the Chiefs, thereby ending a promising debut in which he had showed up well at the back of the Cov scrum.

Initially, Maynard feared he had lost the 25-times capped back row for an extended period, a loss that would have been made more frustrating by the fact it was his first game back since breaking his arm in July.

Carpenter sustained that injury on international duty in the Canucks’ match with the United States and although he has been able to train, he had not taken part in contact sessions until last week.

But the injury has settled down so much that he could even feature in this Sunday’s trip to Camborne, where the unbeaten Cornish Pirates lie in wait.

“It looks as though it’s only a twist,” Maynard said.

“We are assessing it every day but it does not look as serious as originally thought.

“I would say he has a 50/50 chance of playing this weekend.”

Which is good news for a Blue-and-Whites pack that struggled with Exeter during the first half.

Indeed, Maynard feels it must have been a familiar scenario for the McMaster University graduate.

“He did very well behind a pack that was very disrupted on its own ball,” the former Bees and Worcester coach said.

“Aaron will have been pretty used to that, playing at international level. I watched him play for Canada against Australia and Wales and on both occasions, their scrum was butchered.

“But Aaron was still clearing out and taking the ball up well for his team.

“He showed good pace and good ball skills, which we need.”

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Carpenter may recover to play against Cornish Pirates

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 22/09/2009 17:25

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
22/09/2009 17:25

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