Cowan-Dickie & Watson out of England’s autumn Tests
England were coming to terms with a day of grim injury updates after Luke CowanDickie and Anthony Watson were ruled out of the entire Autumn Nations Series.
Cowan-Dickie has fallen to the ankle problem sustained in Exeter’s victory at Wasps on Saturday and has been replaced in Eddie Jones’ 34-man squad for the Tests against Tonga, Australia and South Africa by Jamie George.
And in another seismic blow to England, Watson will also miss the autumn and potentially even the Six Nations after Bath confirmed he ruptured his ACL during Sunday’s home rout by Saracens.
The only positive was that Maro Itoje’s shoulder injury, incurred at the Recreation Ground on Sunday, is not serious and he should be available to face Tonga at Twickenham on November 6. Otherwise, Jones must now revise his plans after losing two guaranteed starters – both of them Test Lions.
Cowan-Dickie established himself as England’s firstchoice hooker during this year’s Six Nations and went on tomakethreeappearancesfor Warren Gatland’s men against South Africa in the summer.
While losing him is a setback to the team’s prospects thisautumn,Joneshasareadymade replacement in George, the 59-cap Saracens veteran whowascontentiouslyleftout of the original squad.
Alongwithfellowoldguard the Vunipola brothers and George Ford, George has been given orders by Jones to show hunger or risk being overlooked for a third World Cup.
All four players have been in outstanding club form since being ignored a month ago, but Jones has pivoted towards youth with France 2023 in mind.