23rd August 2005
Issued on behalf of Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints' new lock James Percival is this morning undergoing surgery for a neck fracture.

The 21-year-old suffered the injury during Saints' second pre-season friendly against Munster on Friday night.

Percival was taken off the field on a stretcher and spent the night in Limerick Regional Hospital but initial x-rays did not reveal the extent of his injury.

Percival, who signed to Saints from Worcester Warriors at the end of last season, had an operation at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford this morning to stabilise his neck. He was flown down to Oxford from Northampton General Hospital by air ambulance after being examined and scanned by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Nick Birch and radiologist Neil Fairlie.

At this stage it is unclear how long Percival will be out of action.

Director of rugby Budge Pountney said: "This injury has come as real shock to the entire squad. James is a well-liked member of our squad and a player we know has a lot of potential. We hope to see him back in training as soon as he is physically able."