Fears for Owen
OWEN FARRELL will have another scan on his back today as Eddie Jones’ injury problems escalate ahead of the autumn internationals. The Saracens fly-half has not featured in the first four rounds of the Premiership and is set to miss the next couple of weeks – as is skipper Dylan Hartley. England head coach Jones will name his 45-man Elite Player Squad tomorrow and a 32-man training squad that will meet in Brighton next Monday and Tuesday.
Hartley and Farrell are certain to be included but are facing a race to play any rugby before the first Test of the autumn against South Africa on November 12.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: “Owen can’t do enough to get himself on the pitch.
“It is frustrating for him and frustrating for us – he won’t play until he is ready.”
Hooker Hartley also has back trouble, which has kept him out of the past two rounds of domestic games with Northampton.
Saints boss Jim Mallinder said: “What we don’t want is to play him for 40 minutes and him then to be out for another two weeks. We want to get it THE SCOUT sorted properly.” Manu Tuilagi (groin), James Haskell (foot) and Jack Clifford (ankle) have already been ruled out of the forthcoming Tests and Joe Launchbury, Danny Care, Joe Marler and Jonathan Joseph have all suffered knocks recently, with Jonny May also still sidelined.
But Sarries lock George Kruis and Exeter wing Jack Nowell are expected to feature tomorrow in the Premiership after injury lay-offs.
WORLD Cup-winning flanker Richard Hill has been appointed England team manager – a position he held for the second-string Saxons in South Africa in the summer.
Hill won 71 caps for England, and five caps for the Lions before retiring through injury in 2008. Jones said: “Richard is an icon of English rugby.”