Pain grows for England as Riki Flutey adds to concerns ahead of All Blacks clash

Sorry sight: Riki Flutey is helped off yesterday, less than a fortnight before England begin their autumn Tests
10 April 2012

Riki Flutey will discover today if his damaged calf will rule him out of England's opening autumn international with New Zealand on 6 November.

Flutey was injured as London Wasps were destroyed 37-10 by Northampton yesterday and it is understood that the New Zealand-born centre was troubled by a calf problem before the match. He could face a lengthy period on the sidelines if, as expected, he is found to have strained a muscle.

The loss of Flutey would dramatically change the threat England would pose the All Blacks at inside centre with Bath's more limited Shontayne Hape next in line while the equally robust Brad Barritt of Saracens and Leicester's Anthony Allen are also options.

Wasps lock Simon Shaw is also causing concern after damaging a calf muscle in training and having to drop out of the defeat by Northampton which has left the club fourth from bottom in the Aviva Premiership.

As well as Flutey, the England medical team are also assessing Leeds flanker Hendre Fourie and Bath prop David Wilson who are carrying injuries that could shape the match squad to take on the All Blacks at Twickenham.

Wilson pulled out of Bath's loss to Leicester on Saturday after hurting his back during a line-out lift in the pre-match warm-up while Fourie has a rib problem that could be serious. With Lewis Moody yet to return to action after sustaining an eye injury, the No7 position has become equally worrying as inside centre for Martin Johnson.

If Moody and Fourie are out, the England team manager would have to take a close look at Wasps captain Tom Rees, who is battling to overcome an ankle injury that appeared to restrict him against Saints. Johnson may have to play Leicester's Tom Croft at open-side flanker, install Joe Worsley at blind side with Harlequins' Nick Easter at No8.

Worsley was one of the few Wasps players to impress against Northampton with the performance of the side lamented by Tony Hanks. The Wasps director of rugby said: "There's a mixture of disappointment, frustration and embarrassment. It's a horrible feeling when you come second like that."

Worsley rated the loss one of the worst he had endured with Wasps since making his first-XV debut for them in 1996 but admitted the players only had themselves to blame.

He said: "It was bizarre to get outmuscled like that and hats off to Northampton for performing like that. Our physicality in defence wasn't good enough and our attack was just mistake after mistake - coughing up ball .

"While we can talk about the problems in defence and attack, rugby is also about heart and balls - manning up and we didn't do that.

"For years we could lose line-out or scrum ball and know we could cope because of our defence and it would create chances we could take. We have to rediscover that ability because we go to Leeds on Sunday for what will be a crucial match.

"Fundamentally, we are talking about the gain-line battle and that revolves around physicality and for years, we were kings of that contest.

"If we let things slide then it could get messy and it's a bit like that now after this result. However, I have been in bad results before and bounced back as a club.

"What has to be worked out is how much that performance was down to our poor mental approach and how much to our preparation and guys not doing what they need to in matches."

With England beset by injury problems, at least Worsley has no worries on that front.

He added: "I'm happy with my fitness and the way I am tackling and I hope, like everyone else in the England squad, to be involved against New Zealand."

Meanwhile, England captain Moody hopes to prove his fitness playing against Harlequins on Sunday.

"I will have to wait and see but I am being cautious," he said.

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