Talismanic back Sam Malcolm the latest Arrows casualty in gruelling MLR season

TORONTO — After starting the Major League Rugby season with six injury-plagued games on the road, the Toronto Arrows continue to take a beating at home.

The Arrows went into Saturday’s home opener against the defending champion New York Ironworkers with 13 injured players, three of whom are gone for the season. 

And while the game saw several Toronto players return from injury, four more were sidelined after suffering concussions in the previous week’s 14-11 loss at the Dallas Jackals.

Despite a second-half fightback after trailing 24-17 at the break, the Arrows never led and fell just short in a 29-27 loss to the Ironworkers (4-3-src, 2src points). And while Toronto (1-6-src, eight points) earned a bonus point for losing by seven points or fewer, it came at a cost.

With Ciaran Breen unavailable through injury and Brenden Black away with the Canadian under-23 side competing at the Tropical 7s tournament in Tampa, Fla., talismanic vice-captain Sam Malcolm shifted to fullback from fly half.

And the 27-year-old New Zealander became the latest casualty when, in the 73rd minute with the Ironworkers holding onto a 29-27 lead, New York fly half Sam Windsor hoisted a high kick into the sky at York Lions Stadium.

Malcolm, who at five foot nine and 18src pounds