Six Nations latest: Wales ace suffers ‘freakish’ setback as personal injury woes continue while England star set for surgery in double blow for Steve Borthwick
Christ Tshiunza (right) and Fin Baxter (left) are expected to miss the Six Nations through injury
There are already some worrying injury blows for England and Wales ahead of the Six Nations, with PREM duo Fin Baxter and Christ Tshiunza likely to be ruled out of the entire tournament.
The pair have both been sidelined with foot injuries, with Tshiunza not featuring at all since Exeter’s dramatic 31-31 draw with Northampton Saints in round one, while Baxter has also been out of action since December after pulling out in the warm-up before Harlequins’ 40-10 defeat to Bristol Bears at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Wales ace Christ Tshiunza unlikely to be fit for Six Nations
Tshiunza has been battling persistent foot injuries for the best part of a year now, and it seems that is set to continue with him likely to miss this year’s Championship after suffering another ‘freakish’ setback.
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“We’ve got to be a little bit careful because he has kind of re-damaged the same area two or three times now,” explained Rob Baxter, the Exeter director of rugby, to BBC Sport.
“It’s just one of those ones where we are going to have to be a little careful because the next stage is to put a screw in the bone in his foot. He’s just been very, very unlucky, almost freakish, how he has damaged the same area two or three times.”
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“I wouldn’t want to rule him out of being available towards the end (of the Six Nations) because it’s such an extended competition, but I would say, here and now, I think it would be unlikely.”
The 24-year-old forward has not featured for Wales since the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, but has already tallied 15 Test caps for his country since his debut in 2021.
England suffer double injury blow as Harlequins man earns recall
As mentioned above, Harlequins prop Baxter will also likely miss this year’s Championship through injury, with the loosehead prop set to undergo surgery on a foot issue. The 23-year-old prop was initially listed in the rehabilitation group when England named their Six Nations squad last week, but will now not travel with to Girona.
Elsewhere, fellow rehabber Ben Curry will also not travel to England’s camp in Spain, with the back-rower set to continue his rehab with club side Sale Sharks.
In his place, Quins flanker Jack Kenningham has earned a recall to Steve Borthwick’s senior squad and will now head to Girona with the rest of the group. The uncapped back-rower previously featured in the wider Autumn Nations Series squad, and has also played for both England XV and England A in the past.
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