LEIGH have run into one of the worst injury pile-ups for years - with the season less than two weeks old.

Rising star Sfraz Patel and powerhouse forward Tau Liku will each miss HALF of the Division One campaign which opened with a 48-14 walloping at Hull KR on Sunday.

Patel needs urgent surgery on a shoulder injury and will be out for up to FOUR months

Liku broke his arm at Hull KR and is likely to be KO'd for up to THREE months.

Added to Leigh's worries, they face being without ace try poacher David Ingram for several weeks. Ingram, with a try in both games so far this season, had an X-ray on a damaged wrist and that showed up ligament damage.

And Leigh's lengthy casualty list is growing by the day with Stuart Donlan on crutches with possible cartilage trouble and Nick Jenkins limping badly with a swollen knee.

They join long-term absentees David Hill (dislocated shoulder) and Alan Hadcroft (knee ligaments) who are still some weeks away from returning.

Scrum-half Patel's worst fears were confirmed on Saturday when keyhole surgery on his dodgy shoulder showed he needs a pinning and cementing operation. He is booked in for the operation next Tuesday.

"The operation is a straightforward one," said the 21-year-old.

"But the recovery time can be quite lengthy. The specialist says I should be playing in four months, but hopefully I'll be back before that."

Liku also went into hospital this week for a plating operation on a broken forearm. He could be out until May.

"It's like a war zone at the moment," complained chairman Mick Higgins.

"I've never known anything as bad as this. With the loss of three players pre-season through retirement and now this crop of injuries, we've lost virtually a full team. It's a nightmare."

Coach Keith Latham must now try to prepare a patched-up side for Sunday's daunting Challenge Cup fourth round tie at home to Sheffield Eagles.

New Aussie recruit Steve Driscoll is likely to replace Liku in the pack while Andy Fairclough, who missed the Rovers game with hamstring trouble, should be back to plug one of the gaps in the backs.

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