Friday 15 December 2017 05:30, UK
Maro Itoje is set to be fit for the start of England’s Six Nations title defence after Saracens revealed he faces a maximum of four more weeks out with a fractured jaw.
The forward underwent surgery and had two plates inserted after fracturing his jaw in two places in a collision with England team-mate Mike Brown in Saracens' 20-19 defeat at Harlequins on December 3.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall had initially been cautious over a return date for Itoje, but the 23-year-old may now even be fit for their final two European Champions Cup games against the Ospreys and Northampton Saints next month.
"Maro is probably three or four weeks away. He went to see the specialist who said a maximum of six weeks and he's already done a week and a half," said McCall.
England's first game of the Six Nations is against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday February 4.
British and Irish Lion Itoje was given a reduced role in England's autumn series due to head coach Eddie Jones' desire to manage his workload, missing the opener against Argentina, playing as a replacement for the visit of Australia before starting against Samoa.
England are due to travel to Portugal for warm-weather training in January.
