England are looking at the very real prospect of another Six Nations campaign without Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, with the winger set for an extended spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
The Exeter Chiefs winger was initially named in the starting XV to face Wales this weekend, but limped out of training in the build-up and was later replaced by Tom Roebuck.
And now, it seems the worst fears of head coach Steve Borthwick have been realised, with the winger set to see specialists on the issue.
‘Manny looks like he will be out for a number of weeks’
Feyi-Waboso has had his fair share of injuries in the 12 months, sitting out the second half of last year through a shoulder issue and later missing Exeter’s opening PREM Rugby Cup fixtures this season with another hamstring problem.
“Manny looks like he will be out for a number of weeks,” said Borthwick.
“I don’t know how many weeks. We’ve got specialist opinion before I know exactly how many weeks he is, but there’s a number rather than a single, which is disappointing.
“But that’s unfortunately the nature of elite sport. There are injuries and then you have to adapt.”
However, despite losing Feyi-Waboso for the foreseeable future, England could be boosted by the returns of key backs Ollie Lawrence and Fin Smith for their trip to Murrayfield next weekend.
“Ollie Lawrence looked real good training-wise at the end of last week,” the head coach said. “He ran yesterday, and there were very positive reports around that. But I’ll get the full medical report.
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“I’ll get an update later tonight, and then I’ll get the full medical report in the morning.
Of Smith, he added: “Fin was in full training last week. First week back in full training, and trained very well. Looked in great condition.”
The pair missed the 48-7 win over Wales with respective knee and calf injuries.
Elsewhere, Ellis Genge was taken off at half-time in England’s rampant 48-7 win over Wales, which could be of major significance given England’s current injury crisis at prop with Fin Baxter also sidelined, but Borthwick has downplayed any long-term concerns over the 30-year-old loosehead.
“We thought the right thing to do was to play him 40 and take him off then, as opposed to going and restarting the second-half,” Borthwick said, explaining the Bristol Bears man was carrying a slight knock into the Test.
“He came off absolutely fine; it was more of a precautionary change than anything else.”