EXCLUSIVE: Super League star out for the rest of the season with shoulder injury

St Helens’ Theo Fages will be out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, Kristian Woolf has confirmed.

The Saints boss spoke exclusively to Serious About Rugby League, revealing that Fages initially suffered a minor shoulder injury a fortnight before the Challenge Cup final, only to suffer another – more serious – issue during the Wembley clash.

“It was a minor injury in the Wigan game and then Theo was rested against Wakefield,” Woolf explained.

“We both were confident that he would play the Challenge Cup final and the rest of the season afterwards,

“It happened in the sixth minute of the final and he suffered a more serious injury – a separate injury but in the same shoulder.

“Obviously we had to pull him out after halftime and he has had to have subsequent surgery after that and he will be out of for the rest of the season.”

Woolf couldn’t speak highly enough of the Frenchman as he tried to soldier on through the pain.

“You could see with some of his passes that he was suffering and he was trying to get through it but he didn’t want to let anyone down and it shows how much of a tough little bugger he is.

“I can’t speak highly enough of him and what the team means to him.”

With Fages out of contract at the end of the year, his future remains up in the air, but Woolf said such talks have been put on the backburner after the injury.

“Those conversations are still ongong and that’s one that Theo will sort out when he gets time.

“We’ve been able to put those things on hold and some time he will come out and say for himself what will be happening.”