England
Injury setback for Manu Tuilagi
ESPN Staff
December 30, 2014
England's Manu Tuilagi reacts to defeat,  New Zealand v England, 2nd Test, Dunedin, June 14, 2014
Manu Tuilagi is facing a race against time to be fit for the Six Nations © AP
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Manu Tuilagi's recovery from a groin injury has been hit with a setback as he expected back a few weeks later than the original prognosis.

Tuilagi missed the autumn internationals with the groin injury he picked up in October against Ulster. At the time, there were hopes Tuilagi would play some part in the November Tests but it was decided he should spend longer on the sidelines to rid him of the troublesome injury once and for all.

In December Tigers boss Richard Cockerill said he hoped Tuilagi would be back around Christmas but the latest news coming out of Leicester, according to reports in the English press, is that the outside centre is not expected to be fit until mid-January.

That timescale poses a headache for England boss Stuart Lancaster as they kick-off their Six Nations programme against Wales on February 6.

Lancaster is a big fan of Tuilagi having name checked the Leicester No.13 as one missing ingredient from his England team but he may be without one of his main threats for the match in Cardiff. If Tuilagi does miss out then England still have a number of options in the centres with Kyle Eastmond, Jonathan Joseph, Luther Burrell, Billy Twelvetrees, Brad Barritt, Henry Slade and Owen Farrell all expected to be in the frame to start against Wales.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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