Courtney Lawes reveals 10-day hospital stay after severe staph infection

Courtney Lawes spent 10 days in hospital battling a severe staph infection that saw his infection markers soar to dangerous levels, forcing an extended absence from the Sale Sharks forward's playing schedule.

The 37-year-old forward, who has earned over 100 caps for England and represented the British & Irish Lions, has not played a match since October 17, when Sale Sharks faced Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup. Speaking candidly on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby XTRA podcast, Lawes explained that his ordeal began with what he initially dismissed as ordinary flu symptoms accompanied by severe muscle aches.

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Things escalated rapidly on the journey home when his right arm effectively stopped functioning. After spending a restless night, Lawes contacted the Sale medical team on Sunday morning. Medical staff suggested he wait until Monday for a doctor's evaluation, but his condition deteriorated significantly throughout the day as he developed a high temperature, while his pelvis and abductors locked completely and his right arm remained immobile, leaving only his left arm functional.

Prompted by his wife, Jessica, Lawes went to accident and emergency. Blood tests at approximately 1:00 am plunged him into what he described as one of the darkest places he has ever experienced. Doctors quickly discovered his infection markers were through the roof, prompting immediate overnight admission that stretched into a 10-day inpatient stay.

Medical staff initially administered penicillin via an intravenous drip, but Lawes's temperature hovered around 39°C and his blood inflammation markers climbed to 240, well above the normal threshold of under five. Four days into his hospitalisation, doctors diagnosed a Staphylococcus aureus infection. Lawes believes the bacteria entered his bloodstream through a foot injury sustained during a match after an opponent stood on his foot, leaving broken skin that failed to heal properly.

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive spherically shaped bacterium, a member of the Bacillota, and is a usual member of the microbiota of the body, frequently found in the upper respiratory tract and on the skin. An estimated 21% to 30% of the human population are long-term carriers of S. Aureus, which can be found as part of the normal skin microbiota, in the nostrils, and as a normal inhabitant of the lower reproductive tract of females. S. Aureus can cause a range of illnesses, from minor skin infections, such as pimples, impetigo, boils, cellulitis, folliculitis, carbuncles, scalded skin syndrome, and abscesses, to life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome, bacteremia, and sepsis.

"I had flu symptoms but some really bad muscle pains with it. On the way home, my right arm basically stopped working, so really weird symptoms."

Courtney Lawes, Sale Sharks forward, via Planetrugby

During the first six days, Lawes endured excruciating muscle pain that surpassed any post-operative discomfort he had experienced from previous surgeries, including knee operations that required morphine. It took three days before medical staff could provide him with pain relief stronger than paracetamol. Once physicians identified the correct antibiotics to target the staphylococcus bacteria, his condition began to improve.

Lawes was explicitly warned by medical staff about the life-threatening risks associated with deep-seated bloodstream infections. Unchecked bacteria can travel to vital organs including the heart, lungs, and spine. Untreated staphylococcus bacteremia carries an extremely high case fatality rate, though timely medical intervention significantly improves survival odds.

Infection Metric	Patient Reading	Normal / Target Range
Blood inflammation markers	240	Under 5
Body temperature	Approx. 39°C	Normal baseline (~37°C)
Hospital stay duration	10 days	Variable

Having spent the initial recovery phase with an ongoing IV line, Lawes completed his course of intravenous antibiotics and transitioned toward a phased return to fitness.