Leeds Rhinos star goes under the knife
Sutcliffe was hurt in Rhinos’ win over Hull KR on February 14 and suffered a recurrence making his comeback on dual-registration for Featherstone Rovers three weeks later.
Rugby league has been shut down until at least April 3 and Rhinos coach Richard Agar said: “Sutty has had a knee clean-out; he will be out for two or three weeks, so he’s not going to miss much football.”
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Hide AdRhinos’ first game after the shutdown is due to be a Coral Challenge Cup sixth round tie at home to Hull KR.
“It’s good we’ve got a home tie,” Agar said of this week’s draw. “But when it gets played, who’s in our team at that time and what sort of form we are in is probably a bit of an unknown at this time.
“Like most people we are all pretty devastated we’ve had this suspension, but it is what it is.
“We don’t know when we’re next likely to play again. I know it has been suspended for two weeks, but there’s a lot to happen in that time before we get on the field on April 3, I reckon.”
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Hide AdRhinos cancelled Tuersday's training, but a staff meeting was held to look at “different scenarios and contingencies” for during the suspension.
“I think that’s going to change on a daily and weekly basis,” Agar predicted.
“We will try and come up with different plans of action, but they are going to have to be fluid and subject to change at late notice.”
Meanwile, long-term casualty Tom Briscoe would have made his comeback in Rhinos’ postponed game at Catalans Dragons last week, Agar has confirmed.
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Hide AdBriscoe was named in Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad for the fixture, which was called off after Rhinos decided not to travel to France due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The former England winger, who turns 30 on Thursday, has not played since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Huddersfield Giants last August.
But Agar revealed Briscoe was due to take a place among Rhinos’ substitutes for the match at Stade Gilbert Brutus, with Luke Briscoe and Ash Handley continuing as the starting wingers and Richie Myler at full-back.