Sale director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, has disclosed that Jonny Hill is set to miss the remainder of the season after sustaining an injury during last Sunday's Investec Champions Cup defeat against La Rochelle.
The out-of-favour England lock was forced out of the game in the first half, contributing to the Sharks' 37-24 loss and eliminating them from the round of 16.
“It was bad, I said it was bad after the game. He has ruptured his patella tendon. It’s a five-monther. We won’t see him again this season,” said Sanderson.
“He has had a scan and has got to wait two weeks for the swelling to go down before it gets operated on. I am gutted for him and gutted for us.”
In a stunning comeback, England sensation Manu Tuilagi is back in action following a groin issue.
However, his future with the Sharks seems uncertain as the Premiership club grapples with financial constraints, hinting that Tuilagi's days in the team might be numbered.
“Manu was running today [Wednesday] pitchside, so he will only be two to three weeks off now,” Sanderson confirmed
With George Ford becoming Sale Sharks marquee player, Tuilagi may not be able to stay with the Sharks.
“We have talked about it and we are finding it difficult to fit him in the cap,” Sanderson admitted.
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Foreign-born players in the 2024 Six Nations breakdown by country
Get ready for a compelling list that injects an additional layer of excitement into the impending tournament.
France (3) - Down by one
Uini Atonio (New Zealand)
Paul Willemse (South Africa)
Émilien Gailleton (England)
Wales (4) - Down by one
Archie Griffin (Australia)
Will Rowlands (England)
George North (England)
Nick Tompkins (England)
England (5) - Up by one
Ethan Roots (New Zealand)
Sam Underhill (USA)
Marcus Smith (Phillipines)
Marcus Smith of England during the Summer Nations Series Match between England and Wales at Twickenham, London on 12 Aug 2023 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Wales)
Tom Roebuck (Scotland)
Ireland (7) - Up by one
Finlay Bealham (Australia)
Jeremy Loughman (USA)
Joe McCarthy (USA)
Jamison Gibson-Park (New Zealand)
Ciarán Frawley (Australia)
Bundee Aki (New Zealand)
James Lowe (New Zealand)
Italy (8) - Up by one
Marco Manfredi (Germany)
Sebastian Negri (Zimbabwe)
Ross Vintcent (South Africa)
Martin Page-Relo (France)
Stephen Varney (Wales)
Ignacio Brex (Argentina)
Monty Ioane (Australia)
Ange Capuozzo (France)
Scotland (20) - Down by one
Ewan Ashman (Canada)
Johnny Matthews (England)
Alec Hepburn (Australia)
Will Hurd (England)
WP Nel (South Africa)
Pierre Schoeman (South Africa)
Sam Skinner (England)
Josh Bayliss (England)
Andy Christie (England)
Jack Dempsey (Australia)
Ali Price (England)
Ben White (England)
Ben Healy (Ireland)
Rory Hutchinson (England)
Cameron Redpath (Scotland)
Sione Tuipulotu (Australia)
Arron Reed (England)
Kyle Rowe (England)
Kyle Steyn (South Africa)
Duhan van der Merwe (South Africa)
Duhan van der Merwe of Scotland slips the tackle from Maro Itoje of England Rugby during the Six Nations Championship, 127th Calcutta Cup match between England and Scotland at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on January 6 2021. - PHOTO: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
Quiz: Can you all of the Guinness Six Nations winning captains?
Securing victory in the Guinness Six Nations is undoubtedly special, but achieving this triumph as a captain is a feat that remains a distant dream for many.
In the storied history of Rugby's Greatest Championship, exceptional leaders have emerged—warriors of various forms, be they agile half-backs, towering second rows, or fearless flankers.
Our latest quiz invites you to identify those who have captained their nations to Guinness Six Nations glory. It's worth noting that in certain instances, there may be multiple captains from the same year due to factors such as injuries and rotation.
Surnames only will be accepted.
