Tuilagi's Six Nations in doubt

 

Tuilagi missed all of England's year-end Tests while he recovered from the problem that has sidelined him for much of this season.

 

England head coach Stuart Lancaster said at the end of November that Tuilagi was the player who could make a key difference to his team as it prepared for the home World Cup later this year.

 

But Lancaster faces the prospect of being without the powerful Leicester man for at least a large part of the Six Nations, which for England begins against Wales on February 6.

 

Discussing his recovery, Tuilagi told several national newspapers: "It's slow. I had three prolotherapy injections – sugar – to try to bring the pubis back together.

 

"It's slow but it's getting there. No one's really sure how long it's going to take. When it first happened, even the doctor said it would be six to eight weeks."

 

That period has already elapsed and now 23-year-old Tuilagi is prepared to wait until the right moment to make his return.

 

"I'm not sure. With this, you have to just take it day by day and make sure it's better before you try to come back," he said.

 

"[The end of February is] ideal but I have to get this right. It's not like a sprained ankle where you can strap up and get on with it."

England are World Cup hosts and would want a fully fit Tuilagi in prime shape for the tournament.

 

"The World Cup is in the back of your mind," said Tuilagi.

 

"But for me, I'm not worried about anything else but trying to get fit and then playing for Leicester and hopefully for England."

 

The news comes just a day after after confirmation that Northampton lock Courtney Lawes would miss the first few weeks of the tournament, and with Lawes' second row colleague Joe Launchbury absent altogether.

 

More injuries to Leicester teammate Dan Cole and impressive No.8 Ben Morgan leaves Lancaster very thin in the pack.