England’s preparations for the rugby union autumn internationals were already looking bleak because of major injury problems. Now Chris Robshaw is the latest player set to miss out on the November Tests.
The Harlequins forward has undergone knee surgery, The Times reports. The 66-cap former England skipper will be on the sidelines for eight weeks while he recovers.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Robshaw joins Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Joe Marler, Joe Launchbury, Nathan Hughes, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson on the unavailable list.
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Harlequins boss Paul Gustard told the BBC: “We are hugely disappointed to lose Chris for a short period of time while he recovers from this injury, not least because he has been one of our standout performers across our first seven games this season and... this period in the calendar provides the opportunity to represent England. I am sure he would have featured strongly in Eddie Jones’s plans for those matches.”
England head coach Jones will name his squad tomorrow for the matches against South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia at Twickenham.
Gatland names Wales squad
Head coach Warren Gatland has included two uncapped wingers in his 37-man Wales squad for the November series.
Jonah Holmes (Leicester) and Luke Morgan (Ospreys) are named in Gatland’s Wales squad who play Scotland, Australia, Tonga and South Africa in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium.
“This autumn is the start of a 12-month countdown to the Rugby World Cup and it is a huge opportunity for the players,” Gatland told the BBC.
“The players who performed and represented Wales so well in the summer deserve the opportunity again and we are really pleased with the depth we have built across the squad.
“We have added in a lot of experience with eight British & Irish Lions coming into the squad so there is a lot of competition for places.”
Wales squad
- Forwards: Rob Evans (Scarlets), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Leon Brown (Dragons), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Ospreys), Cory Hill (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (capt, Ospreys), Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)
- Backs: Aled Davies (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Tyler Morgan (Dragons), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Worcester Warriors), Steffan Evans (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Jonah Holmes (Leicester Tigers), Luke Morgan (Ospreys), George North (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Saracens)
Uncapped trio in Scotland squad
Second-row forward Sam Skinner (Exeter), centre Sam Johnson (Glasgow) and No.8 Blade Thomson (Scarlets) are the three uncapped players named in the 40-man Scotland squad by head coach Gregor Townsend.
Scotland will kick off their autumn international schedule against Wales in Cardiff on 3 November, followed by matches against Fiji, South Africa and Argentina.
Townsend told Sky Sports: “We’ve named a 40-man group for this campaign, which highlights the quality of player that is now available to us and the competition for places.
“It also enables us to welcome more players into our training environment and hopefully give a few more players a taste of Test match rugby.
“It’s going to be an exciting year for the squad but our primary focus is fixed on performing well against Wales – familiar opponents who have already recorded a win against us this year.”
Scotland squad
- Forwards: Alex Allan, Simon Berghan, Magnus Bradbury, Fraser Brown, Allan Dell, David Denton, Matt Fagerson, Ross Ford, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Rob Harley, Murray McCallum, Stuart McInally, WP Nel, Gordon Reid, Jamie Ritchie, Sam Skinner, Blade Thomson, Ben Toolis, George Turner, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson
- Backs: Alex Dunbar, Dougie Fife, Chris Harris, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Pete Horne, Sam Johnson, Huw Jones, Lee Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Greig Laidlaw, Sean Maitland, Byron McGuigan, Ali Price, Henry Pyrgos, Finn Russell, Matt Scott, Tommy Seymour
Rugby union autumn internationals
Fixtures and start times (all times UK)
- 3 November: Japan vs. New Zealand (5.45am); Wales vs. Scotland (2.45pm); England vs. South Africa (3pm); Ireland vs. Italy (10pm)
- 10 November: Italy vs. Georgia (2pm); Scotland vs. Fiji (2.30pm); England vs. New Zealand (3pm); Wales vs. Australia (5.20pm); Ireland vs. Argentina (6.30pm); France vs. South Africa (7.45pm)
- 17 November: Italy vs. Australia (2pm); Wales vs. Tonga (2.30pm); England vs. Japan (3pm); Scotland vs. South Africa (5.20pm); Ireland vs. New Zealand (7pm); France vs. Argentina (7.45pm)
- 24 November: Italy vs. New Zealand (2pm); Scotland vs. Argentina (2.30pm); England vs. Australia (3pm); Wales vs. South Africa (5.20pm); Ireland vs. USA (6.30pm); France vs. Fiji (7.45pm)
