Kyle Sinckler has handed England a timely Six Nations boost

Eddie Jones’ Six Nations preparations have been handed a welcome boost by Harlequins as Kyle Sinckler will return to action in Friday night’s Heineken Champions Cup trip to Bath. 

The England and Lions tighthead was injured in his club’s December 28 Gallagher Premiership draw with Leicester at Twickenham.

In some discomfort, he had to be helped from the field in the 65th minute after being involved in a heavy collision in Tigers’ 22.

However, after missing last weekend’s league loss at Sale, Sinckler has now sufficiently recovered to take his place in the Harlequins XV for Bath, a timely boost for England boss Jones with the countdown on towards their 2020 Six Nations opener versus France on February 2.  

Joe Marler will also start for Quins and make his 200th appearance for the club despite being the butt of criticism last week from his boss, Paul Gustard, for his needless second-half yellow card in Manchester.

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“It is important to recognise the significance in Joe’s career at the club with an individual and collective performance that gives justice to that milestone,” said Gustard, whose side come into the game with just one win in four so far in Europe.

Similarly out of the qualification race having lost all four matches, Bath have made 14 changes following their Premiership loss last week at Gloucester. Anthony Watson, who will skipper the side from full-back, is the only player retained.  

Gustard is not happy. https://t.co/xnmChJdMnK

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 4, 2020

BATH: 15. Anthony Watson (capt); 14. Gabe Hamer-Webb, 13. Max Wright, 12. Jackson Willison, 11. Aled Brew; 10. Freddie Burns, 9. Max Green; 1. Lewis Boyce, 2. Jack Walker, 3. Christian Judge, 4. Matt Garvey, 5. Rhys Davies, 6. Tom Ellis, 7. Mike Williams, 8. Josh Bayliss. Reps: 16. Ross Batty, 17. Lucas Noguera, 18. Sam Nixon, 19. Levi Douglas, 20. Nahum Merigan, 21. Ollie Fox. 22. Alex Davies, 23. Tom de Glanville.

HARLEQUINS: 15. Aaron Morris; 14. Vereniki Goneva, 13. Luke Northmore, 12. Paul Lasike, 11. Gabriel Ibitoye; 10. Brett Herron, 9. Danny Care; 1. Joe Marler, 2. Max Crumpton, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Tevita Cavubati, 5. Dino Lamb, 6. James Chisholm, 7. Chris Robshaw (captain), 8. Alex Dombrandt. Reps: 16. Jack Musk, 17. Santiago Garcia Botta, 18. Will Collier, 19. Glen Young, 20. Semi Kunatani, 21. Niall Saunders, 22. Tom Penny, 23. Ross Chisholm.

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