Chance for George as England hit by injuries
ENGLAND were last night coming to terms with a day of grim injury updates after Luke Cowan-Dickie 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, the PA news agency understands that Watson will also miss the autumn, and potentially the Six Nations as well if the knee damage sustained late in Bath’s home rout by Saracens is confirmed as a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
The only ray of light on an otherwise bleak afternoon was the news that Maro Itoje’s shoulder injury, which also occurred at the Recreation Ground on Sunday, is not serious and he should be available to face Tonga at Twickenham on November 6.
While losing Cowan-Dickie is a blow to the team’s prospects this autumn, head coach Eddie Jones has a ready-made replacement in George, the 59-cap Saracens veteran who was contentiously left out of the original squad announced on Monday.
Along with the Vunipola brothers and George Ford, George was omitted from the 34-man group and given orders by Jones to prove he has the hunger to appear at a third World Cup.
All four players have been in outstanding club form since being overlooked for a wider training squad named a month ago but Jones has pivoted towards youth with France 2023 in mind.
Harlequins centre Joe Marchant has been called up by Jones as Watson’s replacement.