Injury woe continues to haunt the talented Lydiate rugby playing brothers from Mid Wales, with Pontypool ace Jack now facing a lengthy lay-off just weeks after Danny, the Newport Gwent Dragons star, was given the all-clear to resume his exciting career.
The brothers, from Abbey-cwm-hir, have both made rapid progress up the rugby ranks to play at such a high level.
They accept that injuries are part and parcel of the game but they could be excused for wondering just what they’ve done to deserve their respective slices of misfortune.
Danny, 20, suffered what was at first believed to be a career-threatening neck injury when he was on Heineken Cup duty for the Dragons away to French giants Perpignon last November.
There were fears he would never play again after he was knocked out cold and lay motionless on the field for six minutes after taking an accidental blow to the head.
After some time in hospital in France, he was flown to Cardiff by Air Ambulance and then taken to hospital in Swansea before beginning the long road back to full fitness with an arduous rehabilitation programme.
He made his comeback when he appeared as a sub for Pontypool against Neath last month before making his Dragons return in Cork against Munster.
He made his first appearance at Rodney Parade for nearly a year when he helped the Dragons beat Newcastle Falcons 25-14 in the EDF Energy Cup last Friday.
And he is expected to now line up for them in their Heineken Cup opener at home to Glasgow tomorrow.
“It’s great to see Dan back from what could have been a career-threatening injury,” said Gwent’s head coach Paul Turner. “He’s a good kid to work with.”
Turner rates the flanker highly, adding: “He’s got the potential to play for his country.”
But no sooner had Danny made his welcome return to action, than his elder brother Jack, 23, suffered injury pain of his own, the back row player breaking an ankle while on duty for Pontypool in last weekend’s 28-0 reversal at Aberavon.
“He’s in hospital in Swansea with a broken fibia and tibia and they say he’ll probably be out for three months,” said dad John, who can hardly believe the irony of one of his sons getting injured just as the other one has overcome his own health problems.
John, rightly proud of his son’s achievements, added: “There’s not many from this area who go on to play at the level they are.”
Danny was ever present for Wales under-20s in the back row for their Six Nations campaign last season.
