England have lost one No 8 but gained another before the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland in Edinburgh next week. Exeter’s Sam Simmonds, one of his country’s most effective players this month, is set to miss Murrayfield after sustaining a shoulder injury against Wales on Saturday but Wasps’ Nathan Hughes is fit again and could make an instant return.
No detailed prognosis is yet available as to how long Simmonds will be out while the Bath wing Anthony Watson will be assessed this week after limping off early in the second half of England’s 12-6 win at Twickenham.
Eddie Jones’s options, however, have been extended by the return of two 2017 Lions, James Haskell and Joe Marler, from suspension, with the Bath lock Charlie Ewels also included. Alec Hepburn, George Kruis and Nathan Earle, though, will not be involved.
The 32-member squad are due to train against the Georgian national team in west London this week and will also have an open training session at Twickenham on Friday. For now Jones has resisted the temptation to rush back two further Lions, Elliot Daly and Kyle Sinckler, but he has chosen two new teenage apprentices in the Harlequins wing Gabriel Ibitoye and the Sale back-row Sam Moore.
The pair played for England U20s in Newcastle on Friday night, with Ibitoye scoring a spectacular second-half try in a 37-12 win against Wales U20s. The selection of Moore, however, will be greeted with little enthusiasm on the other side of the Severn Bridge; Moore’s father, Steve, and uncle Andy both represented Wales and the 19-year-old was born in Cardiff.
Ireland have also received mixed news on the injury front ahead of next week’s home game against Wales. The Lions centre Robbie Henshaw has been ruled out of the rest of the Championship after undergoing surgery on the shoulder he injured in the act of scoring his second try in the 56-19 win against Italy on Saturday but the prop Tadhg Furlong expects to be fit despite a tweaked hamstring. “I’m pretty confident, more than pretty confident of being available for Wales,” the Lions tight-head said.
The No 8 Jack Conan should also be in contention despite coming off at half-time with a shoulder knock. Wales are waiting on fitness updates on Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Dan Biggar and Taulupe Faletau as they switch their attention towards Saturday week’s significant encounter with the championship leaders in Dublin.
