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England expecting Itoje back sooner than originally feared
By Online Editors
England Rugby say that injured lock Maro Itoje could be available towards the end of the Six Nations.
Head coach Eddie Jones has called up 35 players today to begin preparations for their second Guinness Six Nations match against France on Sunday 10 February, and gave an update on the Saracens lock.
That statement read: "Maro Itoje (Saracens) suffered a knee ligament injury during the Ireland game. The Saracens lock is expected to be available towards the end of the tournament. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens) has been named in Itoje’s place."
Itoje suffered a grade two medial ligament tear that usually requires two to four weeks of rehabilitation.
The prognosis means that the British and Irish Lions lock could be available for the finale to the tournament against Scotland on Mach 16 – and potentially earlier.
Itoje saw a specialist yesterday to be given a clearer picture of when England can expect him back.
Losing their second row talisman for Sunday’s clash with France and almost certainly Wales a fortnight later is a substantial blow to Eddie Jones’ men.
Itoje is crucial figure in England’s pack and his power and work rate were key in subduing champions Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
Either Courtney Lawes or Joe Launchbury will slot into the starting XV in his absence, partnering George Kruis in the second row.
Lawes made a forceful second-half appearance in Dublin, but, while Launchbury was excluded from the matchday 23, England may want his bulk on from the start.
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I don't listen to Nigel Farage. Really not sure where you'd be getting that from. Maybe you should stick to responding to what I've actually said, rather than speculating about my sources.
I'm not sure what you think Putin is going to do. He'll probably conquer Ukraine, but its taken him a long time, and cost him a lot of soldiers. Hitler overran France in a matter of weeks and then started bombing Britain. At this rate Putin might make it to Paris by 2080? I think he'll give up long before then!
I don't see what Stalinist language policy has to do with any of what we're talking about. De-Ukrainization took place in the 1930s, but the genocide of Palestine is taking place in 2025. If your argument is that the invasion of Ukraine is part of a longer history of Russian suppression of Ukraine then you might have a point, but that really just underlines the key difference between Hitler and Putin; Hitler wanted to dominate as much area as possible and so posed a threat to all of Europe, whereas Putin wants to force the assimilation of those who have historically been within the Russian sphere of influence, so only poses a threat to eastern europe and central asia.
"Read and think for yourself."
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Go to commentsAnd they're really playing good rugby,beating every team because they can squat with heavy weights. Not
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