England Faces Injury Setbacks Ahead of Clash Against Japan
England’s campaign in the Nations Championship has taken a hit with the announcement that Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tom Curry will not participate for the remainder of the tournament due to injuries. The team is bracing for their upcoming match against Japan this Saturday amidst a series of challenges related to player fitness.
In addition to Feyi-Waboso and Curry, Seb Atkinson is also unavailable after sustaining a hip injury during England’s recent 45-22 victory over Australia. He is joined on the sidelines by Ollie Chessum, who is suffering from a shoulder issue, and George Furbank, who has a groin injury.
Injury Details and Implications
Feyi-Waboso’s injury occurred in the first half of the match against Australia due to a controversial hip-drop tackle made by Angus Bell, who was subsequently shown a yellow card. Following Feyi-Waboso’s exit, Henry Pollock was substituted in and went on to score two tries.
While the injuries are a downturn for England, there is hope that the trio may recover in time for the match against New Zealand scheduled on November 21 at Allianz Stadium.
Possible Squad Adjustments
In light of the injuries, head coach Steve Borthwick may call upon Saracens players Noah Caluori or Tobias Elliott to fill the void left by Feyi-Waboso. Caluori, who debuted in July during England’s match against Fiji, could earn his third cap this coming weekend. Other potential replacements include Joe Marchant and Will Joseph, who could also be utilized as wing options. Meanwhile, Fraser Dingwall or Max Ojomoh are expected to take over the No. 12 jersey left vacant by Atkinson.
Curry’s absence follows a hip injury sustained in training, and Borthwick hinted that although Ben Curry performed well in the previous match, his brother is unlikely to start against Japan. It is anticipated that Freddie Steward will play at full-back in Furbank’s absence, while Marcus Smith may remain on the bench as a utility option.
Training Updates and Squad Selection
The 36-player training squad reconvened at Pennyhill Park on Monday, with Jack Kenningham and Max Hicks being added as back-row cover to compensate for the injuries to Ben Curry and Chessum. Archie McParland has also returned to training after recovering from a calf injury.
England Training Squad
Forwards:
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Max Hicks (Newcastle Red Bulls)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints)
Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
George Martin (Saracens)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Backs:
Noah Caluori (Saracens)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Tobias Elliott (Saracens)
George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Will Joseph (Gloucester Rugby)
Joe Marchant (Sale Sharks)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Archie McParland (Northampton Saints)
Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)
Rehabilitation: Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), George Furbank (Harlequins)
Chief Editor of Quincy City Beat — Quincy, MA's independent investigative newspaper covering Greater Boston and the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts with fearless public accountability and free access for all readers.
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