Courtney Lawes to miss tour
03/05/2012
Courtney Lawes has been ruled out of England's rugby tour of South Africa with a shin injury.
The 23-year-old has been ruled out for the season by Northampton Saints coach Jim Mallinder, having originally sustained a stress fracture of the bone in England's Six Nations game against Wales.
Mallinder told BBC Sport: "We were hoping that he might play some part this season, but it looks like he's not recovered enough from his shin injury."
Fans booking hospitality for the QBE Internationals this autumn may yet see Lawes play against the Springboks, with the two sides meeting on November 24th.
It is the latest blow ahead of the tour, after former New Zealand coach Wayne Smith opted not to leave his homeland to join Stuart Lancaster's coaching staff.
However, 2003 World Cup winner Mike Catt will have a coaching role in Lancaster's set-up for the tour, it has been announced.
By Sam Smith