Jamie George limped off with a hamstring downside late in Saracens’ 32-24 Champions Cup defeat by Castres that made him a Six Nations doubt to compound a depressing week for the England hooker.
Changed as England captain by membership team-mate Maro Itoje when Steve Borthwick named his Six Nations squad on Tuesday, he then suffered an damage at StoneX Stadium that locations his involvement towards Eire on February 1 in query.
George got here on for two-try entrance row Theo Dan within the fifty fifth minute however was pressured off within the closing phases with Saracens unable to point the extent of the harm.
“Jamie has hurt his hamstring. We’re not quite sure how serious that hamstring is at the moment,” director of rugby Mark McCall stated.
George’s late withdrawal and a severe knee damage sustained by Toby Knight added to a irritating afternoon in north London, the place Castres lastly gained after 21 successive away defeats within the Champions Cup.
The defeat was damaging for Saracens, as they handed up a house spherical of 16 tie in defeat and should now journey to face Toulon.
“It was a really poor performance by us. Castres thoroughly deserved to win the game and we got what we deserved as well, which is a hard thing to say,” McCall stated.
“Our mentality for some reason wasn’t quite right and that’s on me and the coaches. It was a really disappointing day. Castres definitely outenthused us. They were really up for the game.
“We had plenty of the ball but we were poor with it and they defended against us comfortably. Then they struck when the opportunities arose for them. It was such a disappointing day.
“All 15 of the gamers they introduced in had performed within the final 5 weeks, simply not collectively.
“It wasn’t a pack of kids, they were proper rugby players and we did try to communicate that to the team. We just weren’t quite there mentally.”
Scotland captain Tuipulotu additionally a Six Nations doubt with pectoral damage
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is going through a pre-Six Nations sweat too after key duo Sione Tuipulotu and Scott Cummings emerged as damage considerations forward of the championship.
There may be explicit fear across the health of captain Tuipulotu, who has suffered a pectoral damage, with Glasgow head coach Franco Smith hinting that – however refusing to verify – he fears a prolonged spell on the sidelines for the centre.
The 27-year-old performed no half in Saturday’s Champions Cup defeat at Harlequins.
Requested for an replace on Tuipulotu instantly after the sport, Smith stated: “He had an assessment. I don’t know the extent of it yet.
“I feel he may need injured his pec. It was a freakish damage. It was simply one thing that occurred. We weren’t suspicious about it, we simply needed to verify it was nothing severe. However we could have extra readability tomorrow.”
Requested how a lot of a blow it might be if Tuipulotu – extensively anticipated to be a part of the British and Irish Lions squad this summer time – was to overlook any or the entire championship, Smith stated little to douse concern that the influential again is going through a interval on the sidelines.
“It is not just the player but as a person and a player in our environment, he brings a lot of confidence to the people around him,” he stated.
“So, I think it will be for everyone a loss if it is that serious, but I can still think that there is enough of the season for him still to contribute, so I hope that it is not such a serious injury that it will be particularly long.
“He’ll go into the Scotland camp and be managed by their medical crew as effectively, in order a collective all of the communication might be achieved as soon as we have now readability on what the result is.
“I’m just going to say that I don’t know currently, let’s see what the result says.”