RUGBY players say they will support their ladies’ team captain after she suffered serious injury during a match last month.

Amy Griffiths was taken to hospital after hurting her back playing for Northwich in an RFU Women’s Championship encounter with Firwood Waterloo at Moss Farm.

The club told the Guardian it could take a year for her to recover fully.

“Amy is very positive, which is good, but that needs to be tempered with realism,” said chairman Ron McLaverty.

“It’s a serious injury, but it’s difficult with her not to make light of it - she’s plucky, and just wants to get her life back on track.”

An insurance policy with the Rugby Football Union, the game’s governing body, means Griffiths will have access to treatment with a therapist.

However she can’t return to her previous job as a health worker.

Instead, Blacks have taken her on as an administrator.

“Amy will be in a wheelchair and we as a club have got to look after her, mentally as well as physically,” added McLaverty.

“There’s nothing broken, we are told, so it will require a lot of physiotherapy to get her back to normal.”

He admitted it is far soon to tell if Griffiths will turn out again for a team she led to promotion to North One – the highest level Northwich Ladies have played at – last season.

McLaverty said: “It’s too early to think about whether she’ll return to the field, that’s something to consider later.

“But I’m sure she’ll stay in the game, because she lives and breathes it.

“I’d love to think she can play a part in helping ladies’ rugby to grow at Northwich Rugby Club, and also across the county.”

Abby Riley, who made her debut for the Moss Farm club earlier this month, has agreed to take part in a boxing challenge to raise awareness of her teammate’s injury.

She hopes to raise funds too that can help cover the cost of Griffiths’ rehabilitation.

John Blower suffered serious injury while playing for Northwich during a first-team fixture against Warrington in 2003.

After a scrum collapsed on top of him, the forward – who now runs the club’s website – sustained damage that has left him paralysed from the neck down.

“Amy is a fun-loving, strong, tenacious young lady,” he wrote in a note to members.

“She is determined, and fully understands the seriousness of what could be a life-changing injury.

“From experience, I know how important it is to remain positive, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

“It will be a huge emotional lift to know her clubmates – and the wider community – are thinking of her.”