England suffer potential front-row crisis ahead of Six Nations after triple blow
England head coach Steve Borthwick.
England’s stocks at loosehead are looking decidedly bare at the moment after three potential options for Steve Borthwick saw their Six Nations hopes take a blow over recent days.
During the week it was revealed by Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson that Bevan Rodd would miss the entire tournament after surgery on his injured toe.
And then on Saturday, both Joe Marler and Mako Vunipola – two players with over 70 caps – were involved in incidents that could harm their Six Nations chances.
Injury and red card
For Marler, he suffered an arm injury and was eventually forced to come off towards the end of the first half, despite attempting to play on.
The Harlequins loosehead was in obvious discomfort and went down during most stoppages in play before wisely accepting defeat.
He was duly replaced by Fin Baxter in the 36th minute and will now have a scan to determine the severity of the problem.
Injuries to fellow Quins forwards Dino Lamb and Stephan Lewies will also need further investigation after they went off with nasty looking shoulder issues.
“There will be scans and we’ll wait and see,” said Quins head coach Danny Wilson. “Fingers crossed they’re not too bad because they’re three big players for us.”
Marler’s injury would have ordinarily opened the door for someone like Mako Vunipola, who missed out on the Rugby World Cup, but he was red carded on Saturday.
The 32-year-old was sent off for a dangerous tackle late on in the victory over Newcastle Falcons and faces a suspension.
Should he only be banned for three games, that would make him available for the Six Nations, but Sarries boss Mark McCall is hopeful of it being rescinded.
“We will see what the tribunal thinks because it was part of a double tackle and he came in second,” McCall said. “The primary tackler affected the height of the body.”
England’s options
There have also been concerns over World Cup starter Ellis Genge, who picked up a hamstring problem in December.
That means England’s three looseheads for the global tournament – Genge, Marler and Rodd – are all nursing injuries.
The expectation is for Genge to make the Six Nations, however, and he may well be available next week.
But with Rodd definitely out, Marler’s situation currently unknown and another option, Gloucester’s Van Rapava-Ruskin, on the sidelines, who does that leave?
Beno Obano is the obvious name that springs to mind having shone for Bath this season. The 29-year-old has endured his own injury troubles but, with the loosehead now fully fit, he looks the next in line.
Bath’s scrum has dominated this season with Obano to the fore, and he could well add to his three caps in the Six Nations.
Elsewhere, youngster Baxter is developing nicely at Harlequins and Tarek Haffar produced a statement display for Northampton Saints against Sale Sharks’ talented teen tighthead Asher Opoku-Fordjour,
They are probably just ahead of Newcastle’s Phil Brantingham, who is beginning to make an impression as a starter in the Falcons’ XV.