PLYMOUTH Albion are hoping Australian full-back Ethan Ford will not be out for too long with the ankle injury he suffered against Bedford Blues last Saturday.
Ford was forced to leave the field midway through the first half after coming off worst from a last-gasp tackle to stop him scoring a try after making a great break.
The 23-year-old, who did score against Jersey in Albion’s opening pre-season match, will definitely miss Friday’s game against Newton Abbot, but the club do not yet know how long he is likely to be on the sidelines for.
Director of rugby Graham Dawe said: “He did sprain his ankle badly when he was tackled from behind. There is always a danger something like that can happen in those type of tackles.
“It’s just a matter of giving it time now.”
When asked if he might miss the start of the league season, Dawe said: “We don’t know yet. Hopefully, he will be fine.”
Ford had looked impressive in the two games he had started.
Dawe said: “He is one of our overseas players, who we expect to produce good performances.
“He has done well, but he has missed quite a lot of pre-season due to niggling injuries so his pre-season will continue into the season anyway, if that makes sense.”
Ford was replaced on Saturday by fellow Australian Marc Koteczky, who was making his comeback from a heel injury.
Koteczky, though, also picked up a knock, although it is not as serious as Ford’s.
“Marc took a knock on the ankle as well and had to miss training yesterday,” said Dawe.
“But, hopefully, he will be fine for Friday, but we won’t risk him if he’s not 100 per cent fit.”
Albion’s game with Newton Abbot will kick-off at 7.30pm and admission into Brickfields will be £5 for adults.
Meanwhile, former Albion players Andrew Tiedemann, Brett Beukeboom and Aaron Carpenter have been included in Canada’s 31-man World Cup squad.
However, fellow ex-Plymouth players Tyler Hotson and James Pritchard missed out. Pritchard, who played for the same Australian club as Ford and Koteczky, has since announced his retirement from international rugby.