England are set to be without their entire first-choice front row for all of their Tests at Twickenham next month after Phil Vickery was ruled out on Monday with a neck injury.
Vickery will miss the fixtures against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand after it was announced he would be sidelined for at least three months following forthcoming surgery.
That announcement came less than 24 hours after it was revealed fellow prop Andrew Sheridan would be out of action for at least four months with a dislocated shoulder, placing a question mark against his participation in this season’s Six Nations, where England begin their campaign against Wales on Feb. 6.
With hooker Lee Mears already ruled out because of knee ligament damage, England manager Martin Johnson must contemplate a complete revamp of what was an all British and Irish Lions front row.
Vickery’s injury is just the latest setback to Johnson’s plans. England’s 2003 World Cup-winning captain now knows he will definitely be without 12 players next month because of injury, with full-back Delon Armitage, center Riki Flutey and flanker Tom Rees on the casualty list.
Vickery sustained his injury during Wasps’s 18-13 European Challenge Cup victory over Paris-based Racing Metro on Oct. 11.
In a statement, Wasps said: “Due to an exacerbation of neck pain suffered during the game, Phil Vickery has been closely monitored over the last week by the club’s medical team.”
“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,” the statement said. “This will entail a rehab period in excess of three months.”
Johnson is due to reveal how he will plug the gaps on Monday, when he is scheduled to announce a revised elite squad.
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