Newcastle Red Bulls centre Sammy Arnold endured a gruesome dental injury during his side’s agonising 28-27 defeat to Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens today.
The 29-year-old Irish international was involved in a brutal collision with Saints captain George Furbank that left both players nursing significant wounds.
Arnold came off worse in the clash, with two of his front teeth left dangling from his mouth after the impact shattered them.
The incident resulted in the Red Bulls midfielder being sent to the sin bin for his role in the collision, compounding an already painful afternoon for the visitors.
Despite the severity of his injury, Arnold displayed remarkable good humour when he spotted television cameras focusing on him during his time in the sin bin.
The Irishman flashed a mischievous smile directly into the lens, revealing the full extent of his dental damage to viewers at home.
The sight of his two upper teeth hanging loosely from his gums left rugby supporters across the country stunned by the graphic nature of the wound.
Arnold’s willingness to show off his mangled mouth rather than hide from the cameras demonstrated the tough mentality that has made him a fan favourite at Kingston Park.
Newcastle Red Bulls centre Sammy Arnold endured a gruesome dental injury
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Rugby fans took to social media to share their shock at the gruesome footage.
One supporter said: “That’s grim.”
Another wrote: “Sammy Arnold can see the funny side…”
A third quipped: “Say cheese!”
The Northampton full-back later posted an Instagram story showcasing his own facial injuries
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A fourth simply commented: “Wow!”
Furbank, also 29, did not escape the collision unscathed, suffering a badly bruised and swollen eye from the impact.
The Northampton full-back later posted an Instagram story showcasing his own facial injuries, captioning the image simply: “Gritty.”
The injury comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Arnold, who recently committed his future to Newcastle by signing a contract extension keeping him at Kingston Park until next season.
Newcastle Red Bulls lost 28-27 to Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens today
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Speaking to the club’s official website about the deal, Arnold expressed his contentment with life in the North East.
He said: “I’ve loved my time here so far. Newcastle very quickly felt like home for my family and I, and we’re happily settled here.”
He added: “We love the city, the people and the club, and I’m happy to extend at a place with a really exciting future.
“It’s only a matter of time before things really take off here.”
