Bath and England speedster Anthony Watson has given Eddie Jones a welcome boost by revealing he will return to action for his club before the end of the 2021/22 Premiership season.
The Telegraph have reported that 'Watson opted to carry out his ACL recovery away from the club, benefiting from the extra focus afforded to him from individual training sessions.'
Watson, who hasn't played since picking up the injury in October, has won 51 England caps and featured for the British & Irish Lions earlier this year.
Any return would likely be shortlived with the speedster heavily reported by local press to be joining Leicester Tigers next season.
Former rugby union star Christian Wade, who has spent four years in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, has also been linked with a move to Welford Road in recent times.
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Five players who will likely miss England's summer tour to Australia
Below, we look at five players who will almost definitely not travel whether due to injury or personal choice.
#1. Sam Simmonds
The England number 8 is a doubt for the rest of the season and could therefore miss the summer, with Simmonds set to meet with consultants over an issue with his hip and groin.
Exeter boss Rob Baxter was cautious in revealing that the back-rower would meet with specialists in the coming days to discuss the best course of treatment.
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 7 caps) during England Rugby training session at The Lensbury Hotel, Teddington, London on 28 Sept 2021. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
“We are still monitoring it,” Baxter said. "There are some treatment options, a lot more is going to be known this week. It doesn’t necessarily need to be season over for him but we just need to assess everything correctly.
“Without him getting all the consultants’ feedback, it’s at what level they think any intervention is required at this stage. So I don’t want to say he will definitely be back for England and I don’t want to say he will definitely be back for us at the end of the season because I don’t think it is as simple a prognosis as that.”
#2. Joe Marler
Marler has reportedly withdrawn himself from England's plans for the three-Test tour of Australia.
The decision to skip the tour looks unlikely to affect his England prospects after he missed the same tour by choice back in 2016.
Joe Marler of England celebrates after winning during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Tonga at Twickenham Stoop on 6 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
#3. Ben Youngs
It's unlikely that the scrum-half will travel to Australia due to personal reasons after he pulled out of the 2021 Lions tour. As a result, it would be great to get a better look at exciting playmaker Raffi Quirke following his impressive cameo appearances during the Autumn Nations Series.
Ben Youngs of England Rugby during the Six Nations Championship, 127th Calcutta Cup match between England and Scotland at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on February 6 2021. - PHOTO: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
#4. Courtney Lawes
Lawes' inclusion in England's July tour of Australia could be in doubt after the forward dislocated his thumb playing for Northampton.
Boyd said the compound dislocation was "quite nasty", adding: "He has still got some medical decisions to be made around the skeletal function of the thumb and the muscle and ligament situation.
"All I can clearly say, until we get a medical view, is he won't play on Saturday. He needs specialist consultation to make a decision on what is the best course of action."
