Joe Marler remains in the dark on his Six Nations chances due to a complicated injury to his right biceps.
The Harlequins prop will miss Saturday’s Champions Cup trip to Cardiff, and is no closer to a recovery timescale – 10 days after suffering the initial injury.
Marler picked up the arm issue in Harlequins’ 32-26 Premiership win over Gloucester at Twickenham on December 30.
The 33-year-old has undergone a raft of assessments since, but top medics have still been unable to pinpoint the exact issue.
England are now running the real risk of starting the Six Nations without any of their World Cup loosehead props. Ellis Genge faces a race against time to be fit for the tournament opener in Italy on Saturday, February 3, due to a hamstring problem.-
Bevan Rodd is out of the tournament entirely after toe surgery, and now Marler is still doubtful.
“Joe is a week-by-week process at the moment to make a full assessment of the time frame,” said Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson.
“He is not going to play this weekend, that is pretty clear, but what I can’t give is a clear time frame. There have been a few twists and turns with it. We are kind of in the middle of a full assessment.
“I know that is going to sound a little bit like it is taking a while to assess, but there is a little bit to this one.”
Marler was in vintage form for England at the World Cup, and will be a key figure in Steve Borthwick’s Six Nations squad should be fit to take part.
Bristol star Genge might not be fit in time for the Italy clash but is still expected to play a significant role in the competition. Rodd’s absence means England will definitely need at least one new loosehead in their Six Nations squad, that head coach Borthwick will make on January 17.
Mako Vunipola missed the World Cup with a back problem. The Saracens stalwart is available for the Six Nations but will not play any more club rugby before then, owing to a four-match suspension.
Gloucester’s Val Rapava Ruskin is sidelined after knee surgery, so Bath’s Beno Obano and Marler’s 21-year-old uncapped Harlequins team-mate Fin Baxter are alternative selection candidates.
Quins’ back-five forward Dino Lamb looks set for an extended period on the sidelines with a shoulder problem also suffered in that Gloucester victory.
Italy star Lamb’s absence could see him miss the Six Nations – a bitter blow for an in-form forward who would have pushed strongly for a starting spot with the Azzurri.
