Wasps' Sam Jones picks up 'nasty' ankle injury during England training
Tuesday 4 October 2016 22:39, UK
Sam Jones' hopes of becoming England's openside for the forthcoming autumn series have been dented by an ankle injury.
The uncapped Wasps back-row, a contender to replace the injured James Haskell for the four international matches at Twickenham, sustained the injury in training on Tuesday morning and must return to his club.
Dai Young, Wasps Director of Rugby, said: "We won't know the full implications until he's had a scan, but it seems he's suffered a nasty injury."
Jones had been included in England's training squad for a three-day camp in Brighton amid a warning from head coach Eddie Jones that his resolve would be tested in a strenuous session on the final day.
Young added: "It's a big blow for him and I really feel for him as he's worked so hard to get noticed and deservedly got his call-up. These things do happen, but you have to feel sorry for him.
"I was really pleased when he got the thoroughly-deserved call-up and now will be keeping my fingers crossed it's not too bad, but it's not sounding great at the moment."
The 24-year-old is one of two uncapped options to start at openside against South Africa on November 12, competing with Mike Williams of Leicester to deputise for Haskell.
Another back-row combination would see Maro Itoje and Chris Robshaw line-up either side of Billy Vunipola in a repeat of the trio that finished the final Test against Australia in June.
"At seven we're looking for a destructive defensive player, not your traditional seven player because at the moment we don't have that in England," Jones said on Friday.
"We went down the route of trying to find that but it wasn't successful, so we're looking for a more of a destructive player like a Haskell. So, Sam Jones and Mike Williams also come into that category."
Jones, from Aylesbury, came through the ranks at Wasps after joining them as an 11-year-old. He made his debut in 2010 and has played for England at U16 and U18 level. He also played for the U20 side that reached the Junior World Cup final.
He was selected for the England Saxons squad that toured South Africa in the summer.
England will host South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia in the November internationals.
