Wigan Warriors prop Ethan Havard 'happy to be back playing' after spell on sidelines
Wigan Warriors prop Ethan Havard says he is ‘just happy to be back playing’ after spending a couple of weeks on the sidelines through injury.
The 25-year-old returned to action in last Friday’s 23-6 defeat to Warrington Wolves, having missed the previous two weeks in the shape of the Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Wakefield Trinity and the home defeat to Castleford Tigers in Super League.
Havard was forced to sit out of the Castleford game due to concussion protocol, having clashed heads with St Helens hooker Daryl Clark in the Good Friday derby. Havard actually passed his head injury assessment during the derby, but was then stood down for a week.
"Yeah, I passed it (my HIA), came back on, and the RFL overturned it and made it into a category one, so that meant I had to be on a HIA protocol,” Havard said. “That was pretty frustrating to miss out – a big game, Wakey away, but the boys got the job done there.”
The England international was on track to return against Castleford after passing his head injury protocol, but sustained a calf strain in the team’s last training session ahead of the game.
"I missed Wakey because of a HIA, and then I had a bit of a strain in my calf before Cas, but I’m just happy to be back playing, to be honest,” Havard said after Friday’s defeat at Warrington, where he made 12 carries and a staggering 45 tackles in his return to action, starting in the front-row alongside Luke Thompson.
"I just pulled up with a bit of a tight calf strain, but I recovered well this week and got through the game, which I’m happy with. It feels good now, still a bit nervy, but I’m just happy to get through the game, recover this week and get into Bradford.”
Havard and the Warriors will look to bounce back from four consecutive Super League defeats when Matt Peet’s side welcome Bradford Bulls to the Brick Community Stadium in Round Ten on Saturday afternoon, 3pm kick-off.
Wigan are currently sitting sixth in the Super League table after nine rounds, with five wins and four losses to their name.