ENGLAND WERE DEALT a further injury blow ahead of the autumn internationals on Wednesday when Premiership club Saracens confirmed prop Mako Vunipola would be out of action for about six weeks.
Lock Nick Isiekwe has been ruled out for two months due to an ankle injury as problems continue to mount for England coach Eddie Jones.
Mako Vunipola, 27, becomes England’s fourth loosehead missing — Joe Marler has retired from Test rugby, while Leicester’s Ellis Genge, Bath’s Beno Obano and Wasps player Matt Mullan are all sidelined with long-term knee trouble.
“Mako’s got a calf injury, so it looks like it’s going to be around six weeks,” said Saracens’ rugby director Mark McCall. “It’s a tear in his calf, it doesn’t require surgery.
“Nick (Isiekwe) will be around eight weeks, it’s a syndesmosis injury of his ankle. That doesn’t require surgery either, and it will be eight weeks.”
Jones, set to name his squad on Thursday, will be forced to hand someone a full debut in the first Test, against South Africa at Twickenham on November 3.
Exeter Chiefs’ Alec Hepburn has one cap as a replacement, while his clubmate Ben Moon and Gloucester’s Val Rapava Ruskin will now be England’s other main options at loosehead prop.
Mako Vunipola and Isiekwe join Genge, Obano, Mullan, Joe Launchbury, Jonny Hill, Billy Vunipola, Sam Simmonds, Jack Willis and Chris Robshaw as England’s sidelined forwards.
In the case of Billy Vunipola, he is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks after suffering a fracture to his left arm during Saracens’ Heineken Champions Cup pool win in Glasgow.
Dan Robson, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson and Marland Yarde are all missing from the back-line, with Ben Te’o still a doubt despite working his way back to fitness.
And Wasps number eight Nathan Hughes faces a possible suspension.
After the South Africa match, England play New Zealand, Japan and Australia.
- © AFP 2018
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We’ve heard that before.
Stander should never ever have been allowed to play for Ireland. Same goes for all the overseas financial mercenaries. Parks,Aki,Lowe etc.
@Patrick Lawlor: The irony coming from the guy living and working abroad.
@James: yeah and I am still 200% Irish and always will be.
@Patrick Lawlor: 200%! LOL
@Patrick Lawlor: Get bent, Patrick.
@Pete Slattery ✏️ do one pete
@James: absolutely. Lsugh away.
@James: Ran out of the country more like it
@Patrick Lawlor: you’re an irishman alright 2 chips on each shoulder.
@Mark Sheehan: for stating that Stander isn’t Irish?
@Paddy Waggon: a tad off the mark there on that one but sure judge away
@Patrick Lawlor: Everyone is entitled to an opinion but this is a perfect example of when most people just don’t care what it is. Enjoy screaming into the void Patrick.
@Paddy: no one is screaming Paddy.
@Patrick Lawlor: Whatever you need to tell yourself.
@Patrick Lawlor: no for being a 200% @rsehole.
@Paddy: on you go now. Good lad.
@Mark Sheehan: keyboard warrior muppet
@James: It’s always the “Irish abroad” with the weird gatekeeping on who can and can’t be Irish.
@Rochelle: Rubbish.
@Patrick Lawlor: It’s really not that serious haha