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13 players set to miss the Six Nations due to injury
By Josh Raisey
The past two weeks must surely be the worst for any national coach, as they are forced to watch two rounds of European action behind their sofa, hoping none of their players get injured ahead of the Guinness Six Nations.
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Injuries are inevitable in any international side, but two weeks of rugby that are as close to Test match level as club rugby can get is the last thing any coach would want. There were inevitably some injuries, but the toll was not too bad.
With now just one week before the tournament gets underway, each coach will be hoping that their squads can make it through the week unscathed. But all six teams are already heading into the Championships with stars missing- here are the biggest absences:
Wales
Jac Morgan
Wales’ co-captain Jac Morgan showed at the World Cup last year not only that he can become their talisman for many years to come, but the 24-year-old can establish himself as one of world’s premier opensides. He will therefore leave a huge hole in the Welsh back row this Six Nations after undergoing knee surgery last month. Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said that the flanker will be out for months, but there is a sliver of hope that he may be back by the end.
Dewi Lake
To lose one co-captain may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. Dewi Lake suffered a hamstring injury in the opening minutes of the Ospreys’ Challenge Cup contest against Perpignan earlier this month, and while there has been nothing concrete as to how long he will be out for, he missed out on Warren Gatland’s squad nevertheless.
Christ Tshiunza
After breaking his foot in his first game back for Exeter Chiefs after the World Cup, Christ Tshiunza suffered a setback at the beginning of the month, further adding to Gatland’s back row injury worries.
Taulupe Faletau joins the 22-year-old on the list of Welsh players with a question mark over their return date. One thing is for certain though, they are to miss the beginning of the Championship.
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France
Romain Ntamack
After rupturing his ACL just weeks before a home World Cup in August, Romain Ntamack’s injury is nothing new for France, but is still a damaging blow to Fabien Galthie nevertheless. With Antoine Dupont also missing this Six Nations as he prepares for the Paris Olympic Games, Les Bleus will be without their favoured half-back partnership.
Then again, the Bordeaux Begles pair of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert is as good as replacements come in Test rugby. Ironically, being without both Dupont and Ntamack forces Galthie to start the high-flying Bordeaux duo, which may in turn help France as they are well accustomed to playing alongside each other.
Anthony Jelonch
The greatest testament to how important Anthony Jelonch is to the France squad is how they fast-tracked him back into their starting XV as quickly as medically possible for the World Cup last year after he ruptured his ACL in the Six Nations. Unfortunately for the Toulouse flanker, he suffered the same injury again at the weekend against Bath in the Investec Champions Cup (this time to his right knee as opposed to his left last year), ruling him out of this year’s Championship and beyond.
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England
Tom Curry
Steve Borthwick may have a wealth of back rows to choose from, but Tom Curry has proven over the last five years that he is the pick of the bunch, and would have almost certainly started if fit. However, the flanker is unlikely to play any more rugby at all this season after undergoing an operation on his hip shortly after the World Cup.
With World Cup selections Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Jack Willis and Billy Vunipola all out for various reasons this tournament, Curry’s absence will be felt even more, although it will provide an opportunity for the next generation of loose forwards in England.
Ollie Lawrence
With Manu Tuilagi due to miss the start of the tournament, Ollie Lawrence was tipped to provide the power in the midfield this Six Nations and it was a prospect many England fans were relishing in light of his form with Bath this season.
But the 24-year-old has picked up a hip injury this week, which has cast his Six Nations into doubt. His head coach Johann van Graan is hopeful he will play some part, but reports have emerged suggesting the 100kg midfielder will miss the tournament entirely.
Lawrence’s powerful try-scoring performance against Toulouse in the Champions Cup on Sunday at the Stade Ernest-Wallon would have whetted the appetite of Borthwick ahead of the Six Nations, which makes his absence all the more damaging, particularly for a back line that is now light on power.
Ireland
Mack Hansen
A guaranteed starter for Ireland when fit, Mack Hansen is a huge loss for Andy Farrell and Ireland, who begin their title defence with a trip to Marseille’s Stade Velodrome to face France on Friday February 3.
The winger dislocated his shoulder against Munster on New Year’s Day and underwent surgery soon after.
Jimmy O’Brien
Hansen’s injury was compounded by the news a few days later that one of his likely replacements, Leinster’s Jimmy O’Brien, is also set for a long spell out with a neck injury, leaving Ireland thin on the ground when it comes to wingers.
Dave Kilcoyne
Seeing as Farrell has gone for experience in his Ireland squad for this Six Nations, there was every chance that the 35-year-old Dave Kilcoyne would have been included. However, a shoulder injury and an operation put an end to his hopes of making this year’s Championship, and ended the Munster loosehead’s season early.
Italy
Paolo Odogwu
The former England squad member Paolo Odogwu made his Italy debut ahead of the World Cup last year, and provided a real point of difference for the Azzurri with his power from the bench in France. However, the winger ruptured his Achilles in December, and faces many more months out, which deprives him of the chance to impress new Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada.
Dino Lamb
It is unclear how long Harlequins lock Dino Lamb will be out of action for; his club coach Billy Millard said at the beginning of the month that he will see a specialist after picking up an injury in December. Whether the 119kg lock features in the Six Nations is unclear, but he did not make the squad.
Scotland
Ollie Smith
Scotland have had a number of injuries in the build up to the Six Nations, but fortunately for Gregor Townsend, many of those players will be fit for the start of the Championship against Wales at the Principality Stadium, or will return after a few rounds. One of those, however, is not Glasgow Warriors fullback Ollie Smith, who is out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
