Manu Tuilagi to miss the start of England's Six Nations campaign

Manu Tuilagi has suffered another significant injury and will miss the start of England’s Six Nations campaign while Sale Sharks team mate Bevan Rodd has been ruled out of the entire championship following surgery on his toe.

Alex Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, revealed that Tuilagi suffered a grade three tear in the groin area against Saracens and is facing up to six weeks out of the game although the Sharks boss is confident the centre, whose career has been hampered by injury, will be back during the Six Nations.

The news on England prop Rodd is not as good with what appeared to be a ligament issue in his big toe requiring surgery that will keep him out of the championship.

This is a double blow for Steve Borthwick, the England coach, who had seen both players impress as Sale climbed up the Premiership table and it means he will have to make adjustments to his first squad that will be named at the start of January for the Six Nations campaign.

Sanderson said: “Manu has pulled his groin and doesn’t need an operation and we think he will be back during the Six Nations but not for the first week of it. He has suffered a grade linear muscle tear of an adductor in the groin. Grade 4 is serious and Grade 2 is not so serious and so it is somewhere in between.

"The Six Nations is not too far away and he will be back. I spoke to him and he said he needs to play and then it will be up to England. He was in the frame and he has already stated is intent to keep playing international rugby.

“Six weeks is the recommended time for the injury and Manu is saying four. I haven’t been told it’s a recurring injury and he has had issues with his hamstring in the past and it is all connected with the pelvic girdle. There was no indications on the field and he just felt it early in the second half and is that aware of his body that he called over the physio and said something has gone here. He is a little bit wiser.

“I am happy that if anyone can stay in that happy frame of mind it is Manu and he is already future focussed about getting back on the field.

"Bevan has been operated on and he won’t be back until post Six Nations.”