Speedway: Sheffield announce big line up change as club deal with Tai Woffinden injury blow

With the Tru7 Group Tigers’ 28-day facility granted for covering for the injured rider coming to an end next week, the club has made a double change, with two new, experienced riders coming into the team.

They replace three time world champion Woffinden, who has only just got out of hospital with a string of injuries he suffered riding for Rzeszow in Poland, and also drop reserve Danyon Hume, who boss Simon Stead described as the unfortunate victim of the position and situation the club has found itself in.

In their place, the club has brought in two experienced riders who have ridden for the club before, in Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen.

Both go straight into into the Tigers’ side ahead of Thursday’s (April 24, 7.30pm) Rowe Motor Oil Premiership home clash with Oxford.

Sedgmen first signed for Sheffield in 2019 before shorter stints with the club in the top-flight in both 2021 and 2022.

Kerr also came into that line-up late on in ‘22 and was released shortly before the play-offs the following year to help make way for 2012 World Champion Chris Holder just weeks before the Tigers were crowned Premiership champions.

Team manager Simon Stead is looking forward to welcoming the pair back and feels they will both have a point to prove.

He said: “First and foremost I want to say how great it was to see the video of Tai walking out of hospital last Friday.

“We know he’s got a long road ahead of him but he’s already making some remarkable progress and we wish him all the very best with his rehabilitation and recovery; he’ll certainly remain in our thoughts.

“Secondly, we’d like to place on record our thanks to Danyon who is simply the unfortunate victim of the position and situation we’ve found ourselves in.

“It’s a massive shame for him because he’s a great lad and I really hope he gets another opportunity somewhere else at some point this year - but we have a responsibility to do what we feel is the best thing for our team and our club and we have to look after our supporters.

“Our initial thought process was to try and find someone to directly replace Tai - but the 28 day period we were given meant time wasn’t on our side.

“Don’t get me wrong, we explored every realistic possible avenue on that front, but particularly at this stage of the season, there was just nobody suitable available to come and just slot straight in.

“So we’ve had to change the dynamics of our line-up but I think we’ve found a sensible solution and formed a new look to our team that still leaves us in a really strong position to challenge again this year.

“When you look at the sorts of points that we were achieving from Tai’s rider replacement cover and Danyon’s rides combined, I think the two lads coming in can easily match that as a minimum.

“Both Justin and Lewi are really excited, they’re extremely keen to be back in the top division and to be back with Sheffield where they’ll both feel they’ve got unfinished business and where they’ve already got such a good rapport with people around the club.”

He added that the way Leon Flint has hit the ground running, this season, he believes Tigers are now in a place where they will always have a really strong reserve pairing.

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