Six Nations news: England suffer HUGE injury blow with three players out for Ireland clash
ENGLAND head coach Eddie Jones faces a small injury crisis ahead of their Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday.
Six Nations: Preview of the 2019 England team
England face defending Six Nations champions Ireland on the opening weekend, but Jones will have to tinker with his starting XV in Dublin.
Both Ben Te’o and Brad Shield have been ruled out due to niggling injuries.
And they join Bath wing Joe Cokanasiga on the treatment table, who has been out of action since December with knee injury.
“We are hoping Ben [Te'o] will be back again for France,” England scrum coach Neal Hatley told Sky Sports.
“It's a slight side strain.
“It was picked up in an innocuous game of training.
“In a game of this importance we need everyone 100 per cent fit.”
The England team are currently in Portugal for some warm-weather training before travelling to Dublin for Saturday’s clash.
Six Nations: Hartley to miss England's opener says Eddie Jones
All three injured players will remain with the England squad in Portugal to continue their rehabilitation.
England’s two-year dominance in the Six Nations ended last year with Ireland winning the Grand Slam.
Jacob Stockade broke the record in the 2018 Six Nations for most number of tries scored in a single championship with seven.
England 25-man squad
Forwards: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Nathan Hughes, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Kyle Sinckler, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Harry Williams, Mark Wilson..
Backs: Chris Ashton, Mike Brown, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Dan Robson, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi, Ben Youngs.