England will be missing big name players this Six Nations Championship. They will be without the services of Jonny Hill and Courtney Lawes for their Six Nations opener with Scotland this weekend.
Eddie Jones and England issued a squad update yesterday and confirmed that the second row pair of Exeter’s Jonny Hill and Northampton’s Courtney Lawes will be missing from the match day 23 due to injury. Subsequently, they will not be in the match day squad, when it is likely named on Thursday.
29 players have been retained by Jones to be considered for selection this weekend. Ollie Chessum of Leicester Tigers and Ollie Hassle-Collins of London Irish are the only uncapped players. George Ford, Nick Isiekwe and Elliot Daly have been retained after being called up to the squad last week.
Courtney Lawes had been one of the players tipped to captain England following the exclusion of squad captain Owen Farrell too due to injury. Farrell will miss England’s entire 2022 Six Nations campaign. Farrell injured his ankle during training for Saracens recently. Subsequently he is expected to be out of action for eight weeks at least.
Farrell joins Alun Wyn Jones as two of the major stars set to miss out this Six Nations. Farrell is approaching 100 caps for England, as he currently sits on 94. While Jones, is the most capped international player of all time with 161.
Turning attention back to England, who finished fifth in the championship last year, Eddie Jones will be hoping for a better finish this time round. Their task will be harder this time round while missing big name players. England came away with three wins from three last Autumn, while also getting revenge for the 2019 world cup final. England narrowly beating champions South Africa 27-26 at Twickenham last November.
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