The Lions prop Phil Vickery has joined the long list of players who will miss England's autumn campaign as concern mounts that rugby union has become too physical. Vickery suffered neck damage playing for Wasps this month and needs surgery that will keep him out of action for at least three months.
When the England team manager, Martin Johnson, sits down with his coaches this weekend to select his squad for the matches against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand, he will have to make do without at least five of England's Lions in South Africa this summer. More than one third of the players in the two senior national squads are injured, 22 out of 64, making up a team and a full bench.
Vickery, 33, follows his fellow prop, Andrew Sheridan, into the operating theatre this week, leaving Johnson with three fit players in the position in his senior squad – the 36-year-old Julian White, Tim Payne, and David Wilson.
For Vickery it is yet another setback. He has had three back operations, and when Wasps signed him from Gloucester in 2006 some felt they were taking a gamble. The former England captain, carefully managed by the club, has proved worth the investment. His neck injury is not seen as career-threatening.
"Phil was closely monitored by our medical team after he suffered an exacerbation of neck pain during the game against Racing Metro," Wasps said in a statement. "It was deemed necessary that he should be reviewed further by a consultant neurosurgeon. Subsequently a collective decision by Phil, the consultant, Wasps' medical team and England has been made this week to progress with surgery to his neck. This will entail a rehab period in excess of three months."
Vickery, therefore, will struggle to prove his fitness for the start of the Six Nations. Sheridan is out until the end of February after dislocating his left shoulder playing for Sale against Cardiff Blues last Friday.
England's first international is against Australia on 7 November. The Wallabies, already without the second-row Nathan Sharpe, yesterday lost their former captain Stirling Mortlock to a strained calf muscle in training.
Wales face New Zealand on the same day. They will be without at least three of their Lions after the scrum-half Mike Phillips yesterday joined Lee Byrne and Adam Jones on the long-term absentee list. He will be out for three months after suffering ankle ligament damage playing for the Ospreys against Clermont Auvergne last Sunday.
