Teenage rugby sensation Noah Caluori played through the majority of his breakthrough season with a detached wrist ligament, an injury sustained in December. The 19-year-old winger revealed the extent of his injury after a season that saw him score 18 tries in 13 Premiership games and earn an England debut.
Caluori suffered the injury when he landed heavily on his arm while contesting a high ball during Saracens' defeat by Exeter. Following consultations with club and national team coaches, he decided to postpone surgery until the summer and continue playing.
"It would just hurt," Caluori said. "A lot of movements hurt, I had to modify a lot of my gym plans, catching the high balls hurt. I learnt how to manage the pain. That's it, really."
He explained his decision to push through the pain was driven by his ambition for the season. "I came to the conclusion that I'm going to push for this. I'm going to hope that I go on tour [with England], I'm going to try for the best season I can for Saracens, try and help us get to the play-offs. You just ride the adrenaline and learn to get on with it."
After his season concluded, Caluori posted a social media image in July showing him in a hospital bed with a heavily bandaged right wrist, indicating the subsequent surgery. He credited Saracens and England with giving him the autonomy to make the decision about his fitness. "Saracens and England gave me the freedom. If it was too bad and I wasn't able to play, they would have not let me. But they gave me the freedom to choose, I chose what I wanted to do, and then you've just got to live with your decision. I was pretty happy that I've done it."