Warringah forward Ben Adams plays second half with broken rib after hearing about Rats of Tobruk

THE legendary Rats of Tobruk inspired Warringah Rats forward Ben Adams in Saturday’s game with Sydney University.

Warringah Rats skipper Ben Adams before local Shute Shield derby on Saturday.

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THE INCREDIBLE bravery displayed by Australia’s legendary Rats of Tobruk helped inspire Warringah Rats secondrower Ben Adams to play the second half of Saturday’s heartbreaking 22-19 loss to Sydney University with a broken rib.

“Mr Consistency” suffered the injury just before halftime and had a painkilling needle in the dressing sheds o he could return to the field.

“Before the game we spoke about the Rats of Tobruk, the Anzac Day weekend and our club being named after them,” Warringah coach Ed Doyle said. “We said if you go into a dark place today, dig deep and think of those Rats of Tobruk.

Warringah centre Seb Wileman goes on the attack against Sydney University. Picture: Adam Ward

“Benny had every right to come off but he dug deep for the team and that is the kind of guy he is. He put his body on the line for team and didn’t care about self preservation.”

It was also fitting that Adams produced that performance on what was the club’s Superhero Saturday.

“I had a bit of local anaesthetic and that sorted me out for most of the half. it was just a bit hard to breathe,” Adams said.

Warringah Ratette with daughter Frida in the crowd at Superhero Saturday. Picture: Adam Ward

Despite his obvious discomfort Adams didn’t have to think twice about returning to the field.

“The game was in the balance and playing Uni at home there was the opportunity to take it out and we didn’t want to change what we had going,,”Adams said.

He certainly didn’t hold back in any of the forward exchange in that second stanza, giving no indication he had a problem.

A young Spiderman with Batman in the Rat Park crowd on Saturday. Picture: Adam Ward

“I was getting three-quarter breaths, I couldn’t take full one, but you just keep going, ” he said.

Packing into scrums was really painful and was getting caugh in the middle of a maul.

The Rats went to a 19-7 lead four minutes into the second half on the back of a very dominant scrumming performance.

Warringah Ratettes at Superhero Saturday. Picture: Karen Watson

But in the final 20 minutes a shift came over the momentum of the game which coincided with the Rats suddenly getting a spate of penalties against them at scrumtime.

“I don’t really understand, I don’t think anything changed,” Adams said..