Rugby league star has to have testicle removed after refusing to come off with rupture injury during Grand Final
Heroic Paul Wood, 31, played through the pain barrier for Warrington He was joking about the incident on Twitter just hours later
But the father-of-two may now have to quit playing
By Daniel Miller
PUBLISHED:12:17, 8 October 2012| UPDATED:15:09, 8 October 2012
A rugby league star played through the pain barrier after being kneed in the groin and suffering a ruptured testicle in a cup final match before calmly heading off to hospital to have it surgically removed.
Warrington Wolves prop forward Paul Wood lost more than the match when his team went down 26-18 to Leeds in the Super League Grand Final.
Mr Wood, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Wednesday, was hurt early in the second half of the match at Old Trafford, but finished the game and even appeared in a post match interview where he made no mention of his injury.
Pain barrier: Rugby League star Paul Wood carried on playing and even appeared in a post match interview after suffering a ruptured testicle early in the second half of a cup final match
He is now out of hospital after undergoing surgery overnight and even managed to joke about the incident on Sunday morning.
One of his tweets read: 'Ruptured my right testicle, got a knee 1 minute into the second half, had to have it removed.'
In the afternoon he added: 'Just coming out the hospital to go home... Seriously feel like I've left something?'
Referring to the team talk given by the Warrington Wolves head coach he said: 'Tony Smith did say in his pre match team talk last night "your balls are on the line here guys!" I didn't think he meant literally'.
The father-of-two has not yet announced whether he intends to carry on playing. Other rugby players who have lost testicles have chosen to retire over fears they may lose the other.
Scottish rugby Union international Anthony 'Budge' Poutney decided to throw in the towel at the age of 29 after enduring a similar injury during match in 2003.
Mr Wood could have expected a little sympathy from his team mates but he was mercilessly ribbed online about the missing appendage which he suffered with unbelievable good grace.
He said: 'All the jokes have come out today about my 'nuts' 'balls' 'bo***ks' Good job I can take a laugh! I could of easily got a complex haha.'
All i can say is I can feel his pain from here
