iPitch not to blame for Kavanagh injury

James Gordon

Widnes have issued a statement rubbishing press speculation that their artificial iPitch caused an injury to Ben Kavanagh in Sunday’s defeat to Salford.

Kavanagh, 23, went down after collecting the ball from a drop out, and treatment revealed he had suffered an Achilles tendon rupture.

A club statement said: “The injury to Ben was an Achilles tendon rupture which occurred in a recognised mechanism for that injury following rapid dorsi flexion and plantar flexion of the ankle when pushing off to sprint.

“The club wishes to state that this is an unfortunate injury but has no direct link to the performance of the pitch.”

A Wigan academy product, Kavanagh was the first player to be given a Super League contract by the Vikings after they were handed a licence last March.

They have lost all three of their league games back in the top flight to date, conceding 136 points in the process.