Covid-19 hits England camp in latest Six Nations setback

NEWS: Joe Marler has pulled out of England’s pre-Six Nations training squad in Brighton after testing positive for Covid-19, the Rugby Football Union announced Tuesday.

The 31-year-old Harlequins prop has withdrawn after his case was confirmed by lateral flow and PCR tests.

All other players and staff in Eddie Jones’ squad have returned negative results and no replacement for the experienced Marler, capped 74 times by England, has been called up.

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The RFU confirmed on Monday that George Ford and Elliot Daly had respectively replaced skipper Owen Farrell and Jonny May in the squad of 36 originally chosen last Tuesday.

Farrell’s Saracens club said at the weekend that he had sustained a fresh injury in training.

The 30-year-old’s withdrawal from the squad means that Jones will now name a new team captain.

In regards, to May his Premiership side Gloucester conceded that he sustained a knee injury. However, the severity of the injury is yet to be confirmed.

Courtney Lawes is also unavailable to train this week as he is undergoing head injury return to play protocols.

However, it was revealed that Nick Isiekwe has joined as injury cover for Lawes.

England launch their 2022 Six Nations campaign away to Scotland at Murrayfield on February 5.

Jones’ men will then travel to Rome to face Italy (Sunday, February 13) before two home games at Twickenham Stadium against Wales (Saturday, February 26) and Ireland (Saturday, March 12).

Their final game is in Paris against France on Saturday, March 19.