St Helens dealt fresh long-term injury setback on top of current crisis

St Helens have lost another player to long-term injury, with hooker Jake Burns sidelined through an ankle injury.

Burns missed last weekend’s victory away in France against Toulouse Olympique due to a failed HIA suffered the week prior in a Challenge Cup Fourth Round success at Castleford Tigers.

But it has now turned out that the 25-year-old, who made his first-team debut for Saints back in 2024, suffered a more serious injury in the same incident against Cas which will now require him to go under the knife.

The youngster will miss three to four months of action following his operation, putting him in the treatment room alongside the likes of Alex Walmsley, Matty Lees and Jack Welsby.

St Helens dealt fresh long-term injury as Jake Burns’ name added to long list of absentees amid crisis

Saints travel to reigning Super League champions Hull KR on Friday night, and head coach Paul Rowley revealed the news of Burns’ injury in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon as he provided a prognosis.

“Jake is gone for three to four months,” Paul Rowley explained. “He’s having an operation on his ankle. When he got knocked out (against Castleford), he made a bit of a mess with his ankle there, so he’s gone.

“We’re waiting on Daryl (Clark), just to get some clearance there, so the only confirmed person back is Joe Shorrocks.”

Clark will need to pass HIA protocols this week to get the all clear to feature against KR at Craven Park.

Saints’ lengthy list of absentees also includes Jonny Lomax, Jacob Host and Nene Macdonald.

Providing an update on that trio, Rowley said: “They are all a little bit vague at the minute, so the recovery time will be dependent on the responses to the initial training load that they get probably this week or next.

“Unfortunately, I can’t give a definitive time on anybody at the minute.”