England and Wales sweat over injured stars in Rugby World Cup warm-up clash
Jack van Poortvliet and Dewi Lake forced off the pitch during the Rugby World Cup warm-up game.
England and Wales head coaches Steve Borthwick and Warren Gatland will be sweating over the fitness of key players who sustained injuries in the Rugby World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham on Saturday.
Wales lost captain Dewi Lake to what looked like a knee injury, adding to Gatland’s injury concerns at hooker.
Meanwhile, England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet was assisted off with an ankle injury.
Lake hobbled off in the 26th minute, while England lost Van Poortvliet shortly afterwards with a damaged ankle following an accidental collision.
Both players were forced off the pitch in a dreary opening 40 minutes at Twickenham.
Dewi Lake adds to Wales’ hooker woes
Lake’s injury is a massive blow for Wales, depending on the severity. The new captain looked incredibly uncomfortable and emotional on the sidelines after coming off after 26 minutes.
The hooker has had a torrid time with injuries over the last 12 months.
Before the fixture against England, Lake hadn’t played for Wales since facing the Springboks in Cape Town last July.
The highly-rated front-rower missed the whole of Wales’ international schedule last term as a shoulder injury ruled him out of their autumn campaign.
A knee problem put paid to any Six Nations hopes, and it looks as if he may have suffered another injury to his knee.
His injury could be another blow in a position that Wales can ill-afford another setback. Ken Owens captained Gatland’s side during the Six Nations but has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a back injury.
Last week fellow hooker Ryan Elias was forced off the pitch after just six minutes with a hamstring injury, which could see Gatland select his 33-man squad without three of his frontline hookers.
Jack van Poortvliet World Cup hopes dashed?
22-year-old Van Poortvliet earned his 14th Test cap for England on Saturday and was on course to play at a World Cup for the first time.
The Leicester Tigers man was named in Steve Borthwick’s 33-man Rugby World Cup squad.
However, his chances hang in the balance after he was helped off the pitch in the 32nd minute.
England do have experienced options in the likes of Ben Youngs and Danny Care, both included in Borthwick’s World Cup squad, but Van Poortvliet has been a regular in the side in recent times.
READ MORE: Winners and losers from the England Rugby World Cup squad
