Triple blow for England
INJURY UPDATE: Nic Dolly was among three forwards to have pulled out of an England training camp due to injury, the Rugby Football Union announced Sunday.
Leicester hooker Dolly was carried off on a stretcher on Saturday after suffering a severe knee injury following what appeared to be a ‘crocodile roll’ by Adam Brocklebank during the first-half of the Premiership leaders’ 27-5 win away to Newcastle.
Although yet to be officially ruled out by club or country, the injury looks severe enough to have dashed the 22-year-old Sydney-born Dolly’s hopes of featuring in England’s three-Test tour of Australia in July.
Northampton flank Lewis Ludlam has also withdrawn from the 36-strong training squad because of a thumb injury, with Wasps lock Joe Launchbury “taking some time to recover from knocks received in recent games”, according to the RFU.
Bath’s Ewan Richards, Nick Isiekwe of Saracens and Gloucester’s Jack Singleton have been called up to replace the injured trio in the three-day training camp in Richmond, southwest London.
England play the Barbarians in a non-cap international at Twickenham on June 19 before travelling to Australia, with the first Test against the Wallabies in Perth on July 2.