Cadan Murley has been ruled out of England’s clash with France on Saturday with a foot problem that could rule him out of the remainder of the Guinness Six Nations.
Murley sustained the injury in the round-one defeat by Ireland in Dublin on Saturday and will undergo a scan in two weeks to assess whether he can return for the back end of the Championship.
The Harlequins wing has been replaced in Steve Borthwick’s squad by Saracens centre Alex Lozowski, the Rugby Football Union has announced.
It is a cruel setback for Murley, who made his Test debut at the Aviva Stadium but will now miss at least the Allianz Stadium appointments with France and Scotland that England must win to save their Six Nations.
If the injury heals quickly, he could become available for the fixtures against Italy and Wales that close out the tournament.
Murley is one of the Gallagher Premiership’s sharpest finishers and he celebrated his first cap by running in the opening try against Ireland, although two conspicuous errors behind the goal-line invited pressure on to England.
Ollie Sleightholme, Tom Roebuck and Elliot Daly are the contenders to fill the number 11 jersey when head coach Borthwick names his team on Thursday.
