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Leicester issue an England-worrying injury update on Ollie Chessum
By PA
Ollie Chessum could face a race against time to be fit for England’s opening Guinness Six Nations games. The Leicester forward suffered a knee injury during England’s pre-Autumn Nations Series training camp in Spain.
He took no part during England’s four-Test November schedule that saw them beaten by New Zealand, Australia and South Africa before comfortably defeating Japan, and 24-year-old Chessum is not expected to return in the immediate future.
“Probably not until mid-end of January,” Leicester head coach Michael Cheika said after being asked during his press conference ahead of Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership clash against Sale Sharks when Chessum might be back.
England kick off their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Dublin on February 1 before hosting France a week later. Chessum has become a key part of England’s forward machinery, offering head coach Steve Borthwick options at lock and flanker.
Leicester, meanwhile, will be without Chessum for a number of big games, including Investec Champions Cup encounters against Bordeaux-Begles and South African side the Sharks, plus Premiership appointments with the likes of Sale, Gloucester and Harlequins.
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Latest Comments
Oh, and simply have a Welsh comp to determine to the two (every year I mean).
Go to commentsI highly rate Jake White but he falls into the nonsense idea that New Zealand has been selecting from four countries which isn't true. NZ has a huge population of people of Pacific island descent and the vast majority of those in the Allblacks are those with Ardie Savea a perfect example.
Secondly the Pacific Islanders that have shifted to NZ to chase the Allblacks dream are doing all of their professional player development by NZ rugby which occupies a place that another prospective player misses out on.
Like any professional sport most that try to migrate to crack the big time usually don't make it, we only see the ones that do.
So, please don't mistake everyone that plays for the Allblacks of Pacific island descent to have not been born and raised in NZ.
These stated 'countries' have tiny populations compared to South Africa and are very much dependent on NZ and Australia in the case of Samoa and Tonga. Large amount of money flows up to these islands via NZ and Australia and to many others such as Niue, Tokelau etc.
There are many more people of Samoan descent in Auckland than in Samoa.
Sione was able to play for a pacific island selection against the Boks and then NZ.
However there is no way you can switch from any of these countries to the Allblacks without the same stand down everyone else has to go through and I'm not aware of this being at all likely with even one Tongan, Samoan or Fijian international.
This is also forgetting that many of the Tongan and Samoan rugby team are born and bred Kiwis.
Apart from these couple of myths Jake is as usual on the money. Richie Mounga needs to play in NZ if he wants to fight to get the ten jersey, he was fantastic at last year's world cup.
However Richie is no longer a spring chicken and he needs to prove he's not lost his hunger to play for the Allblacks.
He needs to come back and prove himself and that's the sacrifice others make to earn less but have the black jerseys prestige.
Yes, the Boks have benefited from the overseas selection but South Africa has its own path to follow that is uniquely different to NZ's.
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