Sydney: Test back Darius Boyd suffered a suspected torn Achilles tendon at training and is likely to miss much of the next National Rugby League season, his Brisbane Broncos club said on Friday.
The club said Boyd will undergo surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for up to nine months.
It is a bitter blow for the Queensland State of Origin outside back, who returned to the Broncos for the 2015 NRL season after stints at St George Illawarra and Newcastle under coach Wayne Bennett.
“They were just doing a simple training drill and Darius did a turn and that’s as simple as it will be. It’s no one’s fault, it just happens,” Bennett said in a club statement.
“There’s nothing we can do now. If you do enough training in life, things like that will happen.”
News Corp reported Boyd went down at training on Friday in what was his first week back on the field after spending time in a mental health clinic to treat depression.
“At this stage our thoughts are only with Darius and helping him get ready for his operation so he can begin his recovery with as much support as possible,” Broncos chief executive Paul White said.
Boyd followed mentor Bennett back to Brisbane from the Newcastle Knights and was to take up the fullback role.
The 27-year-old has scored 13 tries in 17 Tests for Australia and played 21 times for Queensland in State of Origin football against New South Wales.
