England will be without the services of experienced hooker Jamie George for their entire autumn programme due to a foot injury he sustained in Saracens’ clash against Leicester Tigers on Saturday.
Sarries sealed an emphatic 51-18 victory over the Premiership’s defending champions at StoneX Stadium but George’s injury meant he was replaced at half-time.
He is set to miss England‘s Autumn Nations Series internationals against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
“Jamie George suffered a foot injury during the match against Leicester Tigers at the weekend,” read a statement on Saracens‘ official website.
“It is expected that he will be out for around 10 weeks, returning in early December.”
Injury cover called up
Jones has already called up Newcastle Falcons duo George McGuigan and Adam Radwan, along with Gloucester’s Jack Singleton, to England’s squad who assembled on Sunday in London for a three-day training camp.
This, after George, Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers) and Jack Walker (Harlequins) were withdrawn following the weekend’s Premiership fixtures.
George impressed during the early stages of the 2022/23 campaign but Jones will have to prepare for the upcoming Tests without the 31-year-old, who was England’s first choice hooker during their tour to Australia in Julia.
Being the starting hooker in all three Tests against the Wallabies was a notable personal achievement for George as he was amongst a group of senior players axed by Jones following a poor Six Nations campaign in 2021.
George was offered a route back into the Test arena due to ankle and knee injuries sustained by his closest rival Luke Cowan-Dickie but the Saracen kept his Exeter Chief rival out on the basis of his form.
England’s first autumn Test is against Argentina on November 6, with Manu Tuilagi’s name being cautiously pencilled in at centre.
Tuilagi’s career has been hampered by injuries and it stalled yet again when he sustained a torn hamstring against South Africa a year ago. Tulagi has not played for England since, with the problematic muscle injury then followed up by a knee problem.
Now back to full fitness, it is hoped powerful Sale Sharks back will be ready for the first of 13 Tests between now and next year’s World Cup.
Quick learner
“We all know how strong Manu is at ball carrying and defensively how hard he can hit, but what people forget around Manu he’s a quick learner, he knows the game very well,” forwards coach Richard Cockerill said.
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“And he’s got a really good skill set. So if Manu is physically fit and he’s on his game, he’s got all the attributes, not only the physical ones, but he’s an intelligent footballer too.
“He’s in really tremendous shape. His body weight’s good, he’s lean and ripped. He’s a family man now with different responsibilities so he’s just a good pro and he understands his body really well.”