ALI Cook suffered a broken femur as Birmingham and Solihull Bees RFC finished the season with a 43-15 defeat against Rushden and Higham in the Papa John’s Cup.
Cook’s injury in the first half overshadowed the Bees final game of the season as player Liam Dunne took charge of the side following the departure of head coach James Panter.
Club physio Millie Shanley also left the club with Keith Scott appointed team manager and Rona Higgins as sports therapist to support interim head coach Dunne.
The Bees were without eight first team players as the experienced Mason Dhali-Ali and explosive Oli Durowse returned to the squad for the first time this season.
Rushden scored the game’s first try in the corner after pouncing on a loose ball before Cook unfortunately broke his femur in a crunch tackle.
Cook was stretchered from the field and taken to Northampton Hospital by ambulance and underwent a successful operation to plate and pin his leg earlier this week.
The sickening injury appeared to have an effect on the Bees as Rushden scored two more first-half tries to take a 21-point lead into the break.
Bees reduced the deficit when Lewis Edwards kicked a penalty only for Rushden to cross for two more tries and stretch their lead.
However, Bees rallied late on as PJ Hatch collected Edwards’ kick through to dot down with Oli Nesbitt converting before Dunne crashed over soon after only for Rushden to score the game’s final try.
