Eddie Jones soon has to name his squad for the Autumn Internationals with a number of key players unavailable. Find out the latest injury list and expected return dates.
England will play South Africa (3 November), New Zealand (10 November), Japan (17 November) and Australia (24 November) at Twickenham Stadium, 3pm kick off, live on Sky Sports HD.
England injury list: Who is out?
1.Beno Obano
The powerhouse was ruled out for up to 12 months after suffering "multiple ligaments and hamstring tendon damage" while training with the England squad back in May. He should return to action in April or May 2019.
Vunipola was ruled out for about six weeks on October 17th after straining his calf in Saracens' Champions Cup win over Glasgow. With Mako Vunipola's injury, England boss Eddie Jones will be forced to pick his fourth-choice loose-head prop, with Joe Marler having retired and Ellis Genge also being injured.
Second row Hill, 24, who was called up for England's tour to South Africa but has yet to win a cap for his country, has a hand ligament injury.
6. Nick Isiekwe
The 20-year-old will be out for eight weeks after injuring his ankle against Glasgow. Likely to return in January.
7. Joe Launchbury
Wasps confirmed earlier this week that the 27-year-old lock has undergone knee surgery and faces 10 to 12 weeks out.It means the 54 times-capped forward will miss England’s appointments with South Africa, world champions New Zealand, Japan and Australia next month.
8. Chris Robshaw
He'll miss the Autumn internationals after undergoing surgery on a knee injury. The Harlequins back-rower was injured against Saracens and is expected to be out for eight weeks as a consequence, returning in late December/early January.
9. Billy Vunipola
He will miss England’s autumn internationals after breaking his left arm in their Champions Cup victory over Glasgow Warriors last Sunday. The 25-year-old needs surgery and will be out of action for up to 12 weeks. He'd only recently returned to action after fracturing his right arm during England’s summer tour of South Africa.
10. Sam Simmonds
The Exeter back-rower faces an uphill battle to feature at the Rugby World Cup next year after being ruled out for between six and nine months with a major knee ligament injury earlier this month.
11. Jack Willis
Following consultation with a specialist, it was determined that Jack Willis sustained a significant multi-ligament injury to his right knee during the Aviva Premiership semi-final back in May. This included a rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The injury was expected to keep him out of action for a period between nine and 12 months.
The outside-centre is currently to expected to return “around Christmas time” after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury in April.
14. Anthony Watson
The Bath Rugby, England and Lions star has re-injured the tendon in July and was back on crutches and needed a second operation. It means the 24-year-old is unlikely to play for club or country before the end of this year.
15. Marland Yarde
The Sale wing suffered a catastrophic knee injury against Newcastle two weeks ago and will not be back until next season.
16. Harry Mallinder
Northampton were dealt a massive injury blow this week with confirmation that Harry Mallinderlikely to be out for the remainder of the season. Mallinder picked up a ligament injury in Northampton’s 41-20 home defeat to Clermont Auvergne in the European Challenge Cup ten days ago. He’s been on Eddie Jones’ radar – he was selected for the 2017 summer tour to Argentina and was in England’s 6 Nations squad for this 2018 Championship.
17. Jake Cooper-Wooley
While he’s yet to win an England cap, at 28-years-old the 6’3, 127kg tighthead is just coming into his prime propping years. He underwent surgery on a bicep rupture sustained during a previousPortugal camp and was given an estimated injury lay-off of six to eight weeks in late August.
18. Alex Lozowski
Technically, Lozowski could be free to play on Monday, 29 October, after being cited for of entering a ruck dangerously. As it stands he will be available for selection when the first 23 of the series is announced on Tuesday 30th, although the ECPR have appealed a decision to overturn a red card tackle on Ruaridh Jackson in his side’s win over Glasgow Warriors.
19. Nathan Hughes
The number eight was suspended for six weeks and is unavailable for three of England’s four autumn internationals next month after his “what a joke” tweet led to two extra weeks being put on to his suspension.
20. Danny Cipriani
Despite not being named in the initial Autumn squad, Cipriani may have ended his chance of a recall after getting himself a red card. The fly-half was suspended for three weeks after he was sent off for a high tackle in the Champions Cup defeat by Munster.