Ollie Lawrence, player of the season in English rugby’s Premiership, is in a race against time to be fit for World Cup selection.
The Bath centre suffered knee damage at the start of England preparations for the tournament in France and will be sidelined for a minimum of six weeks.
Faced with the same timeframe to overcome injury sustained in Steve Borthwick’s Pennyhill Park training camp is hooker Jack Walker.
The Harlequins star backed up Jamie George throughout the Six Nations, in the absence of Luke Cowan-Dickie, to emerge as a key player heading towards this autumn’s World Cup.
But a calf problem suffered last week means that he too has been told rehabilitation is a “minimum” six weeks.
Red Rose boss Borthwick names his World Cup training squad on Friday week and his official 33-player squad for the tournament on August 7.
It is entirely possible the injured duo will not return to action before that date given the announcement is seven weeks today and the only game before then is the first of England’s four warm-up fixtures, against Wales in Cardiff on August 5.
However, both remain in camp and will do their rehabilitation under the watchful eye of England’s medical team.
Borthwick has moved his squad on to Brighton and added players from beaten Premiership semi-finalists Leicester and Northampton. Players from Saracens and Sale who contested the Premiership Final, will join the group next week.
Absent from last week's camp are Ollie Hassell-Collins, Harry Randall and Ben Spencer.
“The first phase of our preparation continues to focus on ensuring the players are physically equipped for what we need to do in a World Cup campaign," Borthwick said. "That means the training will be tough and purposeful. The players are rising to the challenge.
“We’ll work hard again this week, and we’ll enjoy some time together off the field too – which is also an important part of our preparation.”
England 38-player training squad:
Forwards (20)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Zach Mercer (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Tom Pearson (London Irish)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Backs (18)
Henry Arundell (London Irish)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Will Joseph (London Irish)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
