England duo Genge and Willis set for early return

ENGLAND are set for a double boost with youngsters Ellis Genge and Jack Willis expected to return from injuries much earlier than expected. Leicester Tigers prop Genge, 23, was ruled out of the South Africa tour in June as he needed knee surgery. The initial prognosis had him out until the new year. And 21-year-old flanker Willis was set to miss up to 12 months having ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in May’s Premiership play-off semi-final defeat by Saracens. But Sportsmail has learned that both are making serious strides in their rehabilitation — which will be music to the ears of England head coach Eddie Jones. It is understood Genge — who this month posted a video on social media of him riding a mobility scooter — will return by November, all being well. Wasps director of rugby Dai Young revealed Willis could be fit for the Six Nations. ‘We are looking at the end of February but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a little bit earlier,’ he told Sportsmail. ‘And it could get better again because he is right in the middle of rehab. Jack being Jack he is going at it at 100 miles per hour. If anyone can get back quicker it’s him. He was doing excellently and I certainly think he’ll pick up where he left off. He is that type of player.’ But there was worse news for Wasps yesterday. They confirmed playmaker Jimmy Gopperth would miss six to nine months having had an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction after injuring his knee against Connacht in pre-season. With the 35-year-old out, All Black No 10 Lima Sopoaga set to arrive tomorrow and Danny Cipriani now at Gloucester, there is something of a fly-half crisis in Coventry. Prop Jake Cooper-Woolley (six to eight weeks) and hooker TJ Harris (four to six weeks) have both ruptured biceps.