Casualty list

England’s wounded stars

Billy Vunipola

Position: No8. Club: Saracens England caps: 34

Vunipola (right) suffered a knee-cartilage injury in Saracens’ win over Sale on Sept 24. He also missed the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand with a shoulder issue. Out for Four months

Jack Nowell

Wing, Exeter England caps: 23

Nowell suffered “a couple of fractures around the top of his cheek and his eye socket” in Exeter’s win against Newcastle, said Exeter coach Rob Baxter.

Out for Four to eight weeks

Danny Cipriani

Fly-half, Wasps England caps: 14

A medial ligament tear to his knee in the middle of September has left injury-ridden Wasps without their star fly-half for a substantial period.

Out for 10-12 weeks

Manu Tuilagi

Centre, Leicester England caps: 26

Tuilagi (below) damaged his left knee in scoring a try in the Tigers’ first game of the season, the latest in a series of injury blows. Was ruled out for seven months in January with an injury to his right knee.

Out for 12 weeks

Tom Curry

Flanker, Sale England caps: 1

The youngest England international since Jonny Wilkinson suffered a ligament strain in his wrist, keeping him out of Sale’s visit to Harlequins last Friday and the club’s Challenge Cup opener.

Out for Two weeks

Jack Clifford

No8, Harlequins England caps: 10

Last capped by England against Italy in the Six Nations, Clifford appeared in line for a recall before dislocating his shoulder in last Friday’s win over Sale. Scans are still required to determine whether he needs surgery.

Out for Unknown

Mike Brown

Full-back, Harlequins England caps: 62

Brown (left) reaggravated an ankle injury in the home defeat by Leicester a few weeks ago, but is now expected to play this weekend against La Rochelle, having missed Premiership matches against Sale and Northampton.

Out for Two weeks

Ben Morgan

No8 Gloucester England caps: 31

Morgan, last capped at the 2015 World Cup, has been sidelined with a calf injury since the season opener against Exeter but is expected back sooner rather than later. Out for Seven to eight weeks

Josh Beaumont

No8/lock, Sale England caps: 0

A regular presence in England squads without winning a cap, the 24-year-old forward has been ruled out until the new year after suffering a biceps tear in last week’s defeat at Harlequins. Out for Three months.