Leon Pryce's Challenge Cup dream was still alive today after the Bulls star survived a major injury scare during yesterday's 60-2 Super League rout of Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants.
Bradford-born Pryce has set his sights on putting one over arch rivals Leeds Rhinos at Murrayfield at the end of the month but his appearance in the showpiece event looked in severe danger when he was helped from the field in the closing stages after dislocating a shoulder.
The 18-year-old lay motionless on the ground for several minutes after sustaining the injury as he tried to dive over for a try.
And he was clearly in agony as he was helped slowly along the touchline to the dressing rooms at the McAlpine Stadium.
He was taken to hospital immediately but a relieved Bulls coach Matthew Elliott said today: "He's OK. We will have some work to do strengthening the shoulder back up but he could still be in contention for the Castleford game at the weekend.
"There are certainly no fears about Murrayfield for him."
Assistant coach Brian Noble had appeared extremely concerned after the match.
"Leon has popped his shoulder but it went straight back in. He went to hospital straight away as a precautionary measure. It was very painful but the prognosis could still be positive," he said. "We need to take the proper medical advice and take things from there."
The news will come as a massive relief to Pryce who supported 'Northern' as a boy and has admitted he likes nothing better than beating their deadly derby rivals.
Meanwhile Noble was delighted with another awesome destruction of the opposition yesterday.
"It was a great team performance but in the first 20 minutes I don't think we completed a set of six tackles," he said. "We gave them the ball for that period and thought 'let's give ourselves a defensive work-out'.
"But we were prepared to be positive in difficult circumstances with the heavy rain and strong wind. That positivity shone through both defensively and offensively.
"I think another 60 points and only two conceded sends out a message to the rest of the competition.
"The players are really hungry for success and it shows in the dressing rooms."
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article