Northampton and England forward Calum Clark has confirmed that he will be out for "the foreseeable future" due to shoulder surgery.
Clark was named in Stuart Lancaster's EPS squad earlier this month after returning from a 32-week ban for breaking the arm of Leicester hooker Rob Hawkins.
"My shoulder needs an operation so I will be out of action for the foreseeable future. That's the game," said Clark in a tweet on Wednesday.
His injury, which follows the news yesterday that Tom Palmer has been ruled out for eight weeks, is not critical to England's selection plans given that Joe Launchbury, Geoff Parling, Mouritz Botha and Courtney Lawes all remain available, with Chris Robshaw, Tom Wood, James Haskell and Matt Kvesic also all available at flanker.
England may well turn however to a number of options from the Saxons squad, including Jamie Gibson, Will Fraser or George Robson to provide cover.
Comments
pierredelot1 says...
Would love to see Kvesicv on the bench, oh to watch a proper seven playing in that position, but I somehow doubt it will happen. Clark great pity, shoulders have finished more careers than virtually anything else and so difficult to get back to full strength again and ignoring the wish to play too early. Hope he gets back soon.Robson before Botha too true although Botha played well for england when he got the chance,, didn't shirk from anything. Scotland will be full of passion and pace, but don't really have the backs to do much.
Posted 17:43 23rd January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Hnsaints: agree... Wood, rob, Morgan. I'd have croft on bench. Kvesic will be learning plenty in eps this time. Croft is long term too. Also agree on rotate those three locks but launch is my favorite to be permanent fixture rotating the other two. It's great we're getting back to a pack full of leaders; Hartley, Wood, Rob, Launch all possible captains. Compared to MJ/Borthwick era where leadership was so thin on the ground.
Posted 20:25 22nd January 2013
ruck_man7 says...
A shoulder for an arm.
Speedy recovery.
Posted 18:55 22nd January 2013
NHsaints says...
That's a real shame, still he's got plenty of time ahead of him to impress yet...I say have a Robshaw, Wood, Haskell or Robshaw, Wood, Morgan backrow and have Kvesic on the bench, we need to blood him and get him some gametime at the top...as for Locks we still have our matchday squad 3- Lawes, Launchbury and Parling, I reckon we just rotate them since they all bring something different to the table...
Posted 17:51 22nd January 2013
APV1 says...
Shame. I was looking forward to seeing whether he'd learned the tough lesson and what he could do for England.
best of luck with the recovery, CC.
Posted 14:50 22nd January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Robson ahead of Botha any day.
Posted 14:39 22nd January 2013