Ian Kirke: Having surgery on rib injury
Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott has revealed Ian Kirke may miss the start of the Super League season.
The forward has been struggling with a rib problem that now requires surgery and McDermott told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "He's going to have a plate fitted. He had a rib injury last year and he played with it. He has a crack in his rib and we hoped the joint would have knitted together. It has, but not as well as it could have done.
"Rather than going through the season injecting him and trying to manage it we are going to get that sorted out.
"He could be back for the start of the season, but if not he'll only miss one or two games."
