'I couldn't eat for a month' - Wire star Ratchford

Stefan Ratchford picked up 11 facial fractures after being caught with an elbow in Warrington Wolves' win over St Helens in July

Stefan Ratchford’s horrific facial injury left the Warrington Wolves captain unable to talk, eat or brush his teeth properly for over a month.

The Wire skipper suffered 11 fractures in a collision with St Helens player James Bell as Wire beat their old rivals 24-10 on 19 July.

Bell accidentally caught the England international with his elbow causing serious damage to Ratchford’s face, which required surgery and needed bars and braces fitted to his teeth to correct his jaw.

The injury forced Ratchford out of Warrington's push for the League Leaders' Shield in Super League, although he is still hoping to play a part in the remainder of the season.

That is a surprise given the extent of the damage, as Ratchford revealed to BBC Radio Merseyside.

"The CT scan showed I had 10 fractures," the 36-year-old said.

"My eye socket had gone, my cheekbone was depressed and there were a few fractures to the upper jaw and lower jaw, as well as some bones across the top of your teeth, and between my nose and lip.

"When they went in [to his mouth] for surgery to put a plate in, they found I'd fractured the roof of my mouth as well, so they had to do a plate there as well."

He added: "The doctors and surgeons were really surprised at the amount of damage from the incident. James messaged me the next day to apologise but I said there was no need, as it was an accident.

"These things happen, it's a rough-and-tumble sport."

'I was thinking of becoming a ventriloquist'

Ratchford, who has suffered plenty of injuries in his 17-year career at the top of the English game, said this one had the biggest impact on his life.

"I didn't have a meal for four and a half weeks, it was just yoghurts, smoothies, drinks, soup. I had bars and braces on my teeth to realign my jaw.

"I was thinking of becoming a ventriloquist because I got pretty good at talking without moving my mouth.

"It's the worst I've had just because of the effect on daily tasks - getting up in the morning, brushing your teeth, having a meal. I couldn't do any of that."

The injury happened days after Ratchford signed a contract to remain at Warrington next season, but he said the thought of quitting never crossed his mind despite the severity of the problem.

"One of my first questions when I came round after surgery was how long I couldn't play for.

"It's what we do, it's our passion. If it was up to me I would have been available to play this week."