That's a lot of weeks for a broken thumb.

Memories of Tanganerror, Whitbread and TJ being unavailable once they had sorted contracts elsewhere?

the same thought crossed my mind, but Vagana also has a a broken thumb and I believe he will be out for a similar time.

I have had a thumb injury. A 'bennetts fracture' i believe, again from playing rugby. Had K-Wires in for 8 weeks and thumb was weak and stiff afterwards..

Whitbread withdrew from most things Wakey quite early on in the piece. Not missed by me. Not a team player.

A thumb injury is quite a bad one for a rugby player because you need it to catch and pass the ball, its not like a finger that you can strap up and carry on, it also need to be fully healed.