Six Nations: England prop David Wilson ruled out of opener against Wales
Monday 2 February 2015 14:31, UK
England prop David Wilson has been ruled out of Friday's Six Nations opener against Wales due to a neck injury.
Leicester's Dan Cole is set to start at tight-head in Wilson's absence but has only just returned from a foot injury himself, having undergone neck surgery last summer.
Wilson, 29, started all four of England's autumn internationals and still hopes to be available for their second Six Nations match against Italy on February 14.
England have been badly hit by injuries with Wilson's name now added to a list containing locks Geoff Parling, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury and Ed Slater, centres Manu Tuilagi, Brad Barritt and Kyle Eastmond, flanker Tom Wood, fly-half Owen Farrell, No 8 Ben Morgan and full-back Ben Foden.
"We're hoping David will be in the mix for next week, but he's not right at the moment unfortunately," said England forwards coach Graham Rowntree.
"Dan is available and has progressed well. He trained with us all last week. We increased his rehabilitation and he's trained fully for the last four days.
"He's a class, proven operator. He's not been out for six months and has not been sat twiddling his thumbs for the last six weeks. We've trained pretty fast and he's slotted in nicely."
Cole's last England cap came in the 2014 Six Nations against Scotland on February 8.
Alex Corbisiero, Joe Marler and Mako Vunipola are the other props named in England's squad for the tournament, while Bath's Henry Thomas was called up from the Saxons squad as injury cover at the weekend.
Wales named their side for Friday's match at the Millennium Stadium on Monday, two days before the deadline for teams to announce their starting line-ups.
