Captain Hartley emerges as doubt for England’s trip to Paris

Dylan Hartley has emerged as a doubt for England’s NatWest 6 Nations clash with France, while Jack Nowell and Sam Underhill have been ruled out of the trip to Paris.

Forwards coach Steve Borthwick has revealed that Hartley is struggling with muscle tightness in his leg, while Nowell and Underhill have been afflicted by respective ankle and toe injuries sustained in training over the weekend.

Hartley, England’s captain throughout Eddie Jones’ reign, is being monitored on a daily basis ahead of tomorrow’s team announcement with Jamie George poised to start if he fails to recover and Owen Farrell the likely skipper.

The Northampton hooker is joined as a possible absentee for the penultimate round of the Six Nations by replacement tighthead prop Harry Williams, who is struggling with a neck injury.

Nowell is also likely to miss the climax to the tournament against Ireland a week on Saturday, but Underhill could be back for the final instalment of England’s title defence.

Meanwhile Rhodri Jones has joined the Wales squad ahead of Sunday’s NatWest 6 Nations clash with Italy in Cardiff.

Ospreys prop Jones has replaced Scarlets’ Wyn Jones, after he was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with hamstring trouble.

Assistant coach Neil Jenkins backed 15-cap front-rower Rhodri Jones to settle straight into the task, as Wales bid to bounce back from two straight Six Nations losses.

Wales are bidding to hit back from defeats to England and Ireland in order to close a frustrating Six Nations tournament on a high, with home fixtures against Italy and France remaining.

Dylan Hartley is an injury doubt.