A surgical fastener applying apparatus, comprising: an anvil half-section including a distal end and a proximal end defining a longitudinal axis; a cartridge receiving half-section including a distal end, wherein the cartridge receiving half-section is operatively couplable with the anvil half-section such that the distal end of the anvil half-section is in juxtaposed relation to the distal end of the cartridge receiving half-section, and wherein a tissue gap is defined between the distal end of the anvil half-section and the distal end of the cartridge receiving half-section when the anvil and cartridge half-sections are coupled together; and a deflection control system operatively associated with the anvil half-section, wherein: the anvil half-section defines a tissue-contacting surface, and wherein the deflection control system reinforces the distal end of the anvil half-section when a force is applied to the distal end of the anvil half-section in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and normal to a plane defined by the tissue-contacting surface of the anvil half-section; the anvil half-section includes a U-shaped channel member having a pair of side walls interconnected by a base wall and wherein the deflection control system is operatively associated with and operatively disposed within the channel member; characterised in that the deflection control system is generally in the form of a leaf spring and includes a layered reinforcing member having a plurality of individual reinforcing plates (462a-c) extending longitudinally between the side walls and resting on the base wall, the reinforcing member including elongate longitudinally oriented slots, and a pin member extending through the elongate slots, wherein said pin member is fixedly secured to the base wall of the channel member, wherein the distal end of each of the plurality of reinforcing plates is slidingly coupled to the channel member by the pin member extending through the plurality of elongate slots (470a-c) formed, one each in the plurality of respective reinforcing plates. an anvil half-section including a distal end and a proximal end defining a longitudinal axis; a cartridge receiving half-section including a distal end, wherein the cartridge receiving half-section is operatively couplable with the anvil half-section such that the distal end of the anvil half-section is in juxtaposed relation to the distal end of the cartridge receiving half-section, and wherein a tissue gap is defined between the distal end of the anvil half-section and the distal end of the cartridge receiving half-section when the anvil and cartridge half-sections are coupled together; and a deflection control system operatively associated with the anvil half-section, wherein: the anvil half-section defines a tissue-contacting surface, and wherein the deflection control system reinforces the distal end of the anvil half-section when a force is applied to the distal end of the anvil half-section in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and normal to a plane defined by the tissue-contacting surface of the anvil half-section; the anvil half-section includes a U-shaped channel member having a pair of side walls interconnected by a base wall and wherein the deflection control system is operatively associated with and operatively disposed within the channel member; characterised in that the deflection control system is generally in the form of a leaf spring and includes a layered reinforcing member having a plurality of individual reinforcing plates (462a-c) extending longitudinally between the side walls and resting on the base wall, the reinforcing member including elongate longitudinally oriented slots, and a pin member extending through the elongate slots, wherein said pin member is fixedly secured to the base wall of the channel member, wherein the distal end of each of the plurality of reinforcing plates is slidingly coupled to the channel member by the pin member extending through the plurality of elongate slots (470a-c) formed, one each in the plurality of respective reinforcing plates. the anvil half-section defines a tissue-contacting surface, and wherein the deflection control system reinforces the distal end of the anvil half-section when a force is applied to the distal end of the anvil half-section in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and normal to a plane defined by the tissue-contacting surface of the anvil half-section; the anvil half-section includes a U-shaped channel member having a pair of side walls interconnected by a base wall and wherein the deflection control system is operatively associated with and operatively disposed within the channel member; characterised in that the deflection control system is generally in the form of a leaf spring and includes a layered reinforcing member having a plurality of individual reinforcing plates (462a-c) extending longitudinally between the side walls and resting on the base wall, the reinforcing member including elongate longitudinally oriented slots, and a pin member extending through the elongate slots, wherein said pin member is fixedly secured to the base wall of the channel member, wherein the distal end of each of the plurality of reinforcing plates is slidingly coupled to the channel member by the pin member extending through the plurality of elongate slots (470a-c) formed, one each in the plurality of respective reinforcing plates.