Rugby
Flood in doubt for Six Nations
2012-01-05 11:55
London - England flyhalf Toby Flood could miss the start of the Six Nations after suffering a knee injury, it was reported on Thursday.
The
Daily Mail said the 26-year-old Leicester playmaker faced up to six
weeks on the sidelines, leaving him in doubt for England's opener with
Scotland at Murrayfield on February 4 and the following match against
Italy in Rome.
"Toby has had a bang on the knee and it's being
treated," Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill was quoted by
the Mail as saying. "We'll just have to wait and see how it progresses."
Any
injury to Flood would give interim England coach Stuart Lancaster a
major selection headache, with Jonny Wilkinson also announcing his
retirement from Test rugby last month.
Flood's absence potentially opens the door to Saracens youngster Owen Farrell and Gloucester's Freddie Burns.
Meanwhile
England could also be without Flood's Leicester team-mate Manu Tuilagi
for the Scotland match, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The
Samoan-born centre suffered a hamstring injury against Worcester on
December 27 and faces a race to be fit for the start of the Six Nations.
"Manu
will be out for four to six weeks," Cockerill is quoted as telling the
Daily Telegraph. "It may be a month depending on how his rehab goes."