Saracens’ Maro Itoje had an x-ray on his right hand on Saturday night after suffering an injury against Scarlets, potentially causing Eddie Jones more back-row disruption for England.
Although Itoje has won all his seven England caps this year in the second row, Jones was considering playing him in the back row against South Africa next month, because James Haskell will miss the autumn series of internationals at Twickenham through injury.
Jack Clifford and Sam Jones are also injured and if Itoje’s x-ray reveals a fracture, Jones would be forced to look outside his squad for the four matches which he is expected to announce on Wednesday to fill the problematic position of open-side flanker.
Itoje left the field against the Scarlets in the 45th-minute after trapping his arm in a tackle. The club’s medical staff decided to take him off immediately and he was taken to hospital at the end of the match.
“Maro came off with a sore hand,” said the Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall. “He will be examined tonight and have an x-ray after which we will know more.”
Itoje’s injury came at the end of a week when his club and country second-row partner George Kruis had ankle surgery that will rule him out of the autumn internationals.
“George complained about his ankle in training and was sent for a scan,” said McCall. “We hope it will be a four- to eight-week injury.”
Jones is also without the backs Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell for the autumn matches, while the Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has made only one appearance this season because of a recurrence of a groin injury.
The Wales interim coach, Rob Howley, was also waiting for fitness reports after the match at Saracens. The Wales full-back Liam Williams rolled an ankle on 13 minutes and left the ground in a protective boot while the second-row Jake Ball suffered a rib injury. “I think they will be all right for Wales,” said the region’s director of rugby, Wayne Pivac.
