LIST | 5 England players who WILL MISS the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond has revealed that he has been ruled out for six months with a torn Achilles tendon. He will miss England's remaining 2020 Six Nations game with Italy and possibly the entire 2021 tournament. Tuilagi will also be unavailable for the Autumn Nations Cup, which starts this November.

The 31-year-old's ankle injury will need specialist treatment, revealed the club. While Saints are unable to provide an accurate time-frame for the 84-cap second row's recovery until next week when Lawes gains a second opinion, it is understood he could be out for up to three months.

A victim of the sheer amount of games since lockdown, the loosehead-prop has been battling on through an ongoing knee problem. Marler, who has openly criticised Premiership Rugby's scheduling, hit the headlines on his last England appearance by grabbing Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by the crotch. Bath prop Beno Obano is someone that could feature for England as a possible replacement.

The Wasps captain left the field early on his 150th appearance for the club as they breezed past Bristol Bears at the Ricoh Arena in early September. Early signs were that it could be a pretty bad calf injury with James Gaskell replacing him. If it does prove to be serious, that would leave Jones without Launchbury and George Kruis after the Saracens star made his move to Japan.

The back-rower has only made one start since the 2019 Rugby World Cup during a disasterous, injury-ravaged loan spell with Sale Sharks. Now back at Newcastle Falcons, he won't have played a game in close to seven months when the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup kicks off. With a number of young back-rowers, such as Jack Willis, Ted Hill and Alex Dombrandt pushing for a call-up, the 30-year-old could miss out.