Ospreys hooker Scott Baldwin feared he could lose his hand after being bitten by a lion in South Africa.

The incident occurred when Baldwin tried to pet a lion at a game reserve ahead of their Pro14 match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

‘The infection was the major issue,’ he told the BBC. ‘The next day it started tracking up my arm. The surgeon said there was a chance I could lose my hand.

‘The bite went straight through the other side of the hand, but I was really lucky it didn’t hit any tendons or ligaments.

‘The surgeon said it was like winning the lottery, he said it was the best possible outcome considering I had been bitten by a lion.’

Baldwin hopes to make his return for the Ospreys in their European Champions Cup clash against Saracens this weekend.

Stroke the Lion it’ll be fine they said! Here’s @scottbaldwin2 petting a lion like it’s a pet cat! pic.twitter.com/Y95FObGeJ5

— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) September 29, 2017