ENGLAND HAVE BEEN hit by the loss of vice-captain Jamie George for their Six Nations opener against Ireland on 1 February, with Alex Mitchell also a doubt for the Dublin showdown.
Hooker George suffered a hamstring injury in Saracens’ Investec Champions Cup defeat by Castres on Sunday and will miss the start of the tournament, the Rugby Football Union has confirmed.
Northampton scrum-half Mitchell sustained a knee problem against Munster on Saturday but could yet feature against Ireland after being taken to the squad’s pre-Championship training camp in Girona to continue his rehabilitation.
An attritional weekend of European action has also seen Northampton lock Alex Coles, Leicester scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and Harlequins number eight Alex Dombrandt ruled out of contention for the Aviva Stadium clash.
An update to our 2025 Guinness Men's Six Nations squad, as preparations get underway at our training base in Girona today 🌹@O2 | #WearTheRose | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/h4PKoL5zDO
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) January 21, 2025
Ireland a hotbed of rugby football? Seriously?
@Richard Ford: Really, you felt it necessary to make such a comment?
@Der Calnan: . It’s a legitimate point.
@Richard Ford: Only in south Dublin, and parts of Limerick & Cork cities.
GAA / soccer would be far more widely played than rugby union.
@Colm O’Sullivan: Yup. I agree entirely. That’s the point I was making.
Don’t want to be a harbinger of doom for the lad, but if he’s this injury prone at 20, it’s not a great sign. The new brighton gaffer doesn’t appear to rate him at all either. Maybe Potter might be good for him if he goes to the Hammers.