Jack Nowell joins England injury casualties after training camp
Saturday 8 October 2016 19:08, UK
Exeter wing Jack Nowell faces "weeks" out of action after returning from England's training camp with a torn thigh.
The injury verdict was announced by Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter after the Chiefs' 27-27 draw with Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership.
Nowell had been involved in the two-day England training camp at Brighton earlier in the week and becomes the third player to return from the session with a significant injury.
Wasps flanker Sam Jones broke his leg during judo drills with the England squad and Bath wing Anthony Watson broke his jaw in a collision.
After the injuries to Jones and Watson came to light, Premiership Rugby on Thursday accused England head coach Eddie Jones of placing player welfare at risk by staging the full-bore training camp just days after a weekend programme of club fixtures.
And Baxter has now accused England of pushing Nowell too hard, with the 23-year-old having only just returned to full fitness after a two-month injury lay-off following thumb surgery.
Baxter said: "Jack had a run-out with us last weekend and had his first bit of rugby. England seemed to have loaded him more than we would have done.
"We were told that the injury was minor but when we scanned him, he had a 9-10 centimetre tear in his quad which will put him out for weeks."
Nowell could now miss England's autumn internationals which open with the visit of South Africa to Twickenham on Saturday November 12, live on Sky Sports 1, followed by matches against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.
