Ratchford 'couldn't eat for a month' after 11 fractures

Stefan Ratchford’s horrific facial wounded near him incapable to talk, eat aliases brushwood his teeth decently for complete a month.

The Warrington Wolves skipper suffered 11 fractures successful a collision pinch St Helens subordinate James Bell arsenic Wire hit their aged rivals 24-10 connected July 19.

Bell accidentally caught nan England world pinch his elbow causing serious harm to Ratchford’s face, which required room and needed bars and braces fitted to his teeth to correct his jaw.

The wounded forced Ratchford retired of Warrington's push for nan League Leaders' Shield successful Super League, though he is still hoping to play a portion successful nan remainder of nan season.

That is simply a astonishment fixed nan grade of nan damage, arsenic Ratchford revealed to BBC Radio Merseyside.

"The CT scan showed I had 10 fractures," nan 36-year-old said.

"My oculus socket had gone, my cheekbone was depressed and location were a fewer fractures to nan precocious jaw and little jaw, arsenic good arsenic immoderate bones crossed nan apical of your teeth, and betwixt my chemoreceptor and lip.

"When they went successful [to his mouth] for room to put a sheet in, they recovered I'd fractured nan tile of my rima arsenic well, truthful they had to do a sheet location arsenic well."

He added: "The doctors and surgeons were really amazed astatine nan magnitude of harm from nan incident. James messaged maine nan adjacent time to apologise but I said location was nary need, arsenic it was an accident.

"These things happen, it's a rough-and-tumble sport."

Ratchford, who has suffered plentifulness of injuries successful his 17-year profession astatine nan apical of nan English game, said this 1 had nan biggest effect connected his life.

"I didn't person a repast for 4 and a half weeks, it was conscionable yoghurts, smoothies, drinks, soup. I had bars and braces connected my teeth to realign my jaw.

"I was reasoning of becoming a ventriloquist because I sewage beautiful bully astatine talking without moving my mouth.

"It's nan worst I've had conscionable because of nan effect connected regular tasks - getting up successful nan morning, brushing your teeth, having a meal. I couldn't do immoderate of that."

The wounded happened days aft Ratchford signed a contract to stay astatine Warrington adjacent season, but he said nan thought of quitting ne'er crossed his mind contempt nan severity of nan problem.

"One of my first questions erstwhile I came information aft room was really agelong I couldn't play for.

"It's what we do, it's our passion. If it was up to maine I would person been disposable to play this week."