THE injury crisis at Knowsley Road is so bad that on Tuesday Saints chiefs were forced to withdraw from the prestigious Middlesex Rugby Union Sevens event at Twickenham.

Chief executive Sean McGuire stated: "Our club has been hit by an exceptional and debilitating spate of injuries that has ruled out 10 first team squad members, including seven players who would have formed the basis of the Middlesex Sevens' squad.

"Following a risk assessment of this unprecedented injury crisis the St. Helens board believe that - in order to protect the health of the remaining fit players and the brand name of the Saints - it is better to withdraw from the event rather than send an under-strength team to Twickenham.

"In many respects this has been a tough decision and one we are disappointed to have to make, because obviously we would have wished to fulfil our commitment to play.

"But in one respect at least it has been easy - that being that we believe it to be in the best interests of this club and its fans."

Coach Ian Millward added: "We could not win in this situation.

"If we had taken down a weakened team it would have been bad for Rugby League and bad for St. Helens if we were beaten in the first round.

"People would not have looked at who we had missing, they would have just looked at the fact that the best team in RL had gone out in the first round.

"And imagine if Long or Hooper had got injured down there. Our fans would have not liked that either."