GRAPHIC: When professional rugby players’ heads clash, lips stand no chance whatsover

Fair warning - if you're squeamish, eating or in any way sensitive to gruesome injuries then we give you full permission to return from whence you came.

One of the nastiest facial injuries you're ever going to see came in a Scarlets training session last week. We don't know the intricacies of what happened but it's safe to say that the lip of out-half Steve Shingler was clattered by the cheek of second-row Jake Ball and it's easy to see who came out second best. Ball posted a photo of the damage sustained in the clash of heads and, for the last time, you have the chance to turn back now because the lip injury suffered by Shingler could well put you off your dinner. https://twitter.com/Jake_Ball4/status/727108663236812801 The masterful stitch-work done at hospital resulted in both players being passed fit to play in Scarlets' 34-20 victory against the Newport Gwent Dragons on Saturday. And both are likely to feature when Scarlets, who have already secured Champions Cup qualification for next season, travel to Thomond Park this weekend to take on Munster.