Tom Johnson has eight England caps © Getty Images

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Exeter Chiefs flanker Tom Johnson is unlikely to play again before 2015 after his club confirmed he needs neck surgery.

Johnson last played on England's tour of New Zealand in June and there were hopes his neck injury would heal itself alongside his rehabilitation. But Exeter have now confirmed he will go under the knife and is likely to spend 10 to 12 weeks on the sidelines.

"It's one of those awkward ones where there's a balance between waiting to see if rehab sorts it out or operate and try to get some immediate results," Exeter coach Rob Baxter said. "Having spoken to the surgeon and then the surgeon having some debates with our medical staff, because it's a relatively straightforward one about trimming a bit of bone to free up a nerve, the consensus has been to get the operation done and give Tom the best chance to be good long-term, so we will do it now rather than wait and see.

"Part of the consideration has been that Tom has had two or three seasons where he's been on England tours so he's had less proper pre-season time than the other guys. Doing it now ticks a few boxes in that it gives him an extended pre-season period and deals with his neck at the same time."

While the news is a setback for Exeter and Johnson, it will also have ramifications for England who are already without a number of players in the pack. Alex Corbisiero, Geoff Parling, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola and Dan Cole are all set to miss the autumn internationals but despite Johnson's latest setback, Baxter is optimistic he will still be able to force his way into the World Cup reckoning.

"I don't see any reason why he can't play himself into contention for England," said Baxter. "The important thing is to perform with quality and to do that you need to be fit, you need to be strong and you need to feel comfortable with your body. "It all sounds a negative when you're not playing, but this could work out to be a positive for Tom because he'll be confident going into contact and feel fit, feel fresh and feel strong."