England suffer more Six Nations hurt as Jonny Hill ‘likely to miss’ early rounds

01/26/2022

Eddie Jones ' streak of bad luck has continued after it emerged British and Irish Lions lock Jonny Hill looks likely to miss the early rounds of England 's Six Nations campaign.

That's following explanation from Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter, who has said his star is still dealing with a stress fracture above his ankle.

Red Rose captain Owen Farrell was ruled out of the tournament on Wednesday after he underwent ankle surgery following an injury he suffered in Saracens training last week.

Courtney Lawes is a doubt for the February 5 opener away to Scotland due to a head injury, while Jonny May could also be ruled out of the tournament following knee surgery.

Furthermore, Harlequins prop Joe Marler is in a race to be available for the trip to Murrayfield after he tested positive for Covid earlier this week.

And Hill—who toured with the Lions last year but failed to appear against South Africa —joined that group likely to miss at least the early Six Nations action as Exeter boss Baxter explained his star's absence in recent weeks.

"Jonny Hill has – some people call it a stress fracture, some people call it a stress reaction – to his lower leg and high ankle," he told reporters on Wednesday. "He has been in a boot to offload that.

"At this stage it is just something that is being managed rather than looking to have an operation.

"It is just going to be about the length of time for that to settle down and get back to a normal loading [training] pattern.

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"He is with England now and they will be taking on the assessment with him, for us it has meant the last couple of weeks have been a no go for him having assessed and treated him.

"It is for England now to take that on during the Six Nations period."

Hill hasn't played since his side suffered a last-minute 14-12 defeat to Quins on January 8, almost a full month before England are scheduled to visit Murrayfield.

The Red Rose will then travel to face Italy in Rome on February 13 and have a two-week break before they host Wales on February 26, by which point Jones will hope to have something closer to a fit squad.

Baxter said he was told at the time of his lock's injury that it could take six weeks to recover, although he added it "could be slightly longer or shorter but that was the initial prognosis."

Jones will hope the latter proves true as he looks to piece together his strongest side amid a raft of recent injuries and other setbacks, with Farrell's absence being the biggest of all.

Lawes is the obvious pick to skipper the team in Farrell's absence having done so during the autumn, though uncertainty over his own fitness could prise the captaincy debate wide open.

Hill would have been expected to partner Maro Itoje in England's second row, but it's possible Charlie Ewels or uncapped Ollie Chessum could now be pushed unto a surprise start against the Scots.

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