Tom Rees, the England flanker, will miss the rest of the RSB Six Nations Championship after suffering a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
David Strettle, the Harlequins winger, also looks highly unlikely to feature again in the tournament after his club confirmed he has sustained a hairline fracture to a metatarsal in his left foot that will likely keep him out for between four to eight weeks.
Rees was forced off during the second half of England’s surprise 26-19 defeat by Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, and an MRI scan yesterday confirmed the extent of his injury.
Wasps’ medical team predict that Rees will be in rehabilitation for approximately eight weeks. “This is very disappointing news,” Ian McGeechan, the club’s director of rugby, said, “particularly bearing in mind the way Tom was playing in Saturday’s game. His departure had a significant impact on England’s performance in the remainder of the game.
“Our medical and rehab team will working very hard in the coming weeks to get Tom back to full fitness as soon as possible.”
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Strettle was also forced off through injury on Saturday and, after seeing a specialist yesterday in the company of Richard Bramford, the Harlequins physiotherapist, it was confirmed he has sustained a hairline fracture to the fifth metatarsal.
England will also be without centre Mike Tindall (bruised liver) and flanker Lewis Moody (Achilles) for Sunday’s game against Italy in Rome.
Tindall remains under observation in a London hospital and is also unlikely to play any further part in the tournament.