Xodus Wasps are facing an injury crisis of epic proportions with 25 players absent as they continue to search for their first UAE Premiership win this season.
The revelation was made by director of rugby Martin Southern who said the club has been hit by injuries and absentees this week – in addition to an outbreak of conjunctivitis in the camp.
The 25 players missing meant Wasps had to forfeit their second team game against Arabian Knights in the UAE Conference.
Southern said 20 of the 25 walking wounded are from the first team, with Serbian Nenad Grbic the only regular from the pack or half-backs available to face Abu Dhabi Saracens on Friday night.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this in rugby in any country I’ve been involved with rugby in,” said Southern.
“But we have 22 players throughout the club to start on Friday but they will fly the flag for Xodus Wasps. They’ll be fighting tooth and nail and even though our backs are against the wall, we’ll never give in.”
Sarries’ chairman Dave Jackson said the mood at Al Ghazal is positive despite defeat in the Abu Dhabi derby.
“We didn’t perform as we would have liked against Quins, maybe the occasion got the better of us,” he said. “But we are still building as a club and moving forward.”