Tom Youngs out until New Year

Editor

Leicester have suffered a blow after experienced hooker Tom Youngs was ruled out of their December fixtures after suffering a knee injury.

Interim head coach Geordan Murphy confirmed that the injury suffered in the home game against Saracens a fortnight ago will keep the club captain on the sidelines for several weeks.

“Tom doesn’t need an operation on his knee, but he has a medial tear,” Murphy told the club’s website. “Hopefully it is not too severe and he should be back in the new year at some stage.”

In his absence, Tigers have added hookers Jake Kerr and Ross McMillan to the list of players registered for the Champions Cup.

Guy Thompson returned to training this week after missing two games with a cut above the knee in the Premiership defeat at Gloucester in November, but fellow back-rower David Denton is still to come back following a head injury in the win over Northampton. Telusa Veianu (foot), Mathew Tait (Achilles) and Harry Simmons (knee) are on the longer-term injury list.