Hughes and Lawes to undergo season-ending knee surgery

England internationals Nathan Hughes and Courtney Lawes will miss the rest of the season due to respective knee surgeries.

The duo sustained ligament damage that has ruled them out for the remainder of the campaign during England’s 22-16 Six Nations defeat to France on Saturday.

Wasps number eight Hughes lasted just 24 minutes and is expected to be out for three months, while it is anticipated Lawes, who played the full match in Paris, will miss 14 weeks.

Consequently, neither player will be available for consideration by head coach Eddie Jones, who will name his squad to face champions Ireland at Twickenham on Thursday.

Wishing @Courtney_Lawes well in his rehab from knee surgery

The forward sustained the injury during last weekend’s Six Nations game in Paris and will be out for a period of 14 weeks pic.twitter.com/jHNNp0oMWG

— Northampton Saints (@SaintsRugby) March 14, 2018

Don Armand, who has only made one Test appearance for England, was this week called up to help cope with the back-row injury problems.

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