With England head coach\u00a0Steve Borthwick\u00a0set to name his Six Nations squad on\u00a0January 23, time is fast running out for the\u00a024-year-old\u00a0to force his way into contention.<\/p>\n
However, it has already been confirmed that England will be\u00a0without two key players\u00a0for their Six Nations opener.<\/p>\n
Join the RUCK\u2019s WhatsApp community here<\/a>\u00a0and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude91 Will Stuart ruled out with serious injury<\/p>\n England prop\u00a0Will Stuart\u00a0has suffered a\u00a0ruptured Achilles tendon, an injury that will leave the Bath forward facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.<\/p>\n The\u00a029-year-old\u00a0was forced off early in the second half of Bath\u2019s\u00a0Champions Cup win over Munster\u00a0on Saturday, with the injury quickly described as\u00a0\u201cvery serious.\u201d<\/p>\n Bath head of rugby\u00a0Johann van Graan\u00a0confirmed the severity of the setback:<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll get operated on somewhere in the next few weeks and unfortunately with an Achilles there\u2019s a long road ahead,\u201d he told\u00a0BBC Radio Somerset.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery injury is different, but for a prop just think about the amount of load that goes through your legs.\u201d<\/p>\n Stuart featured from the bench in England\u2019s\u00a0autumn victories over Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, and is one of\u00a025 players on Elite Player contracts for 2025\u201326.<\/p>\n He has\u00a053 England caps\u00a0to his name and earned a maiden\u00a0British & Irish Lions call-up\u00a0last summer, playing in\u00a0all three Tests\u00a0during the series win in Australia.<\/p>\n \u274c Martin still sidelined after 11 months out<\/p>\n England are also set to be without\u00a0Martin, who has not played for\u00a011 months, last appearing in round two of last year\u2019s Six Nations against France.<\/p>\n The Leicester forward has been sidelined by a\u00a0nerve issue in his shoulder, an injury that continues to defy clear timelines.<\/p>\n Leicester head coach\u00a0Geoff Parling\u00a0said:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an injury you can\u2019t put a date on. It certainly won\u2019t be in the short, short term but he is improving.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of those injuries which is a bit more unusual.\u201d<\/p>\n After rest failed to resolve the issue, Martin underwent\u00a0surgery in the summer, ruling him out of the first half of the season.<\/p>\n Progress has been\u00a0slow, with his delayed return proving a source of frustration for\u00a0club, country and the player himself\u2014 and leaving England light on options as the Six Nations looms.<\/p>\n EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n 2026 Six Nations Fixtures Confirmed \u2013 England Handed Dream Start<\/p>\n ROUND 1<\/p>\n Thursday 5th February 2026<\/p>\n France v Ireland\u00a0\u2013 Stade de France, Paris \u2013\u00a08:10pm<\/p>\n Saturday 7th February 2026<\/p>\n Italy v Scotland\u00a0\u2013 Stadio Olimpico, Rome \u2013\u00a02:10pm<\/p>\n England v Wales\u00a0\u2013 Allianz Stadium, Twickenham \u2013\u00a04:40pm<\/p>\n CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n