Lawes may miss rest of Six Nations

COURTNEY Lawes’ participation in the Guinness Six Nations is under threat after he was ruled of tomorrow’s pivotal clash with Wales by a chest problem.

Lawes, pictured, will miss the Cardiff showdown, described by Eddie Jones as “make or break” for both sides, after injuring his pectoral muscle during Wednesday’s full-blooded training session.

A scan has uncovered damage which requires further diagnosis and assessment, placing doubt over his involvement in the remainder of England’s title defence.

Having battled back from ankle surgery, Lawes made his first appearance in almost a year as a replacement against Scotland and then forced his way into the starting line-up for the rout of Italy a week later.

England lose his vast experience and power in defence, and in his absence have picked Mark Wilson at blindside flanker.

“In the first part of training Courtney slipped over and felt something in his pec,” said Jones.

“Unfortunately, he’s got a little bit of damage there. Sometimes those can be rather serious and sometimes they can be not so serious.”

Wilson made little headway on his return to the team in the Calcutta Cup defeat by Scotland and was dropped for the round-two clash that nudged England’s title defence back on track. “When we play Courtney at blindside flanker, it’s more of a jumping, running role, but normally if it’s not Courtney we have more of a work-rate six, which is Mark Wilson,” said Jones. The only other change to the XV that dispatched Italy at Twickenham is Jamie George returning at hooker in place of Luke Cowan-Dickie.

England: Daly; Watson, Slade, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola. Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Martin, Earl, Robson, Malins.

SWANSEA City: Freestone; Price, Howard, Smith; Bound, Cusack, Jenkins, Romo, Roberts; Savarese, Watkin.

SUBS not used: Jones, Appleby, O’Leary, Devulgt, Boyd.

BRISTOL City: Phillips; Burnell (Millen 58), Carey, Hill; Murray, Clist, Hulbert (Brown 68), Tinnion, Bell; Peacock, Thorpe.

SUBS not used: Malessa, Goodridge, Beadle.

REFEREE: George Cain (Seaforth).