England call upon replacements as injury affects Six Nations preparations

Wednesday 12 January 2011
Published By: David Rawlings
International Rugby > England

Courtney Lawes was cruelly ruled out of England’s Six Nation campaign yesterday after a knee injury means he will be unavailable for three months, according to his club.

While England are hopeful Lawes may recover to play a role in the tournament, his club side Northampton insist he will play no part. The 21-year-old injured his medial cruciate ligament against Leicester at the weekend.

Head Coach Martin Johnson has called expanded his squad to 33 men in preparation for England’s opener against Wales on February 4th – now the World Cup winner will be forced to change his plans as injuries take their toll on his squad.

Lawes has emerged as Johnson’s first choice lock after an impressive run in the side culminating in an outstanding performance against Australia in the autumn internationals.

Johnson has yet to decide who will replace Lawes, but the former Captain has called up rugbyboots.net favourite Louis Deacon to replace the banned lock Dave Attwood. Deacon missed the summer tour of Australia and the autumn internationals through injury, which allowed Attwood to put his rugby boots upon an international test match pitch for the first time.

Leicester’s Tom Croft will also miss the tournament. His replacement has also yet to be named, although Northampton Tom Wood and Harlequins Captain Chris Robshaw are in contention.

Dominic Waldouck, the injured Wasps scrum-half has been replaced by team mate Joe Simpson, and soon-to-be Saracens Fly Half Charlie Hodgson has also been added to the squad.