Six Nations: Toe injury puts Tom Wood out of Calcutta Cup

ENGLAND’S Tom Wood is out of the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Murrayfield due to a toe injury.

The Northampton flanker and will also miss England’s trip to Italy after he was ruled out of the first two RBS 6 Nations fixtures. He has been told he needs to wear a protective boot on his left foot for the next four weeks.

Wood, who was a leading captaincy candidate, will still attend England’s pre-Six Nations training camp in Leeds next week.

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Interim England head coach Stuart Lancaster has already lost Leicester trio Toby Flood, Manu Tuilagi and Louis Deacon to injury, at least for the Scotland and Italy games, while Northampton lock Courtney Lawes is battling to overcome a knee problem.

Wood would have been a certain starter at Murrayfield, and his absence will cause a back-row rethink for Lancaster. It could open the door for Bristol-born No 8 Ben Morgan to make his Test debut, with Harlequins captain and openside flanker Chris Robshaw likely to be skipper.

Morgan, who plays for the Scarlets and had qualified for Wales on residency, pinned his international colours to the England mast earlier this month.

Had Wood, who made England’s World Cup squad last year but was largely overlooked by then manager Martin Johnson, been fit, then the likelihood would have been Robshaw packing down at No 8 alongside Wood and Leicester’s Tom Croft.

Robshaw is now favourite to skipper England in Edinburgh, although Croft and hooker Dylan Hartley both offer leadership credentials.

Wood said: “There is never a good time to be injured and I’m obviously very disappointed but I’m working closely with the medics, at both Northampton Saints and England, who will be keeping a close eye on it and assessing it day by day. An injury in one area is also an opportunity to develop strengths and improve in others. I will still travel to Leeds next week so that I am part of the squad as it gels and begins to establish its own culture and values.”

Meanwhile, winger Chris Ashton will join Saracens next season after being attracted by the opportunity of working with his former Wigan rugby league idol Andy Farrell.

Ashton, who made the cross-code switch from Wigan to Northampton in 2007, met Farrell, the Saracens head coach, before signing his long-term deal with the Aviva Premiership champions. But the 24-year-old’s move from Franklin’s Gardens is not without controversy.

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Ashton had decided on his return from the World Cup that he wanted to explore his options and it is understood he never entered negotiations with Northampton.

He has insisted he remains committed to the Saints but, at this stage, it is uncertain whether he will play for the club again. Ashton has been dropped for Northampton’s Heineken Cup clash with Munster on Saturday, amid rumours of a training ground row with director of rugby Jim Mallinder.

“We’re obviously disappointed Chris has decided he wants to play his rugby elsewhere,” Mallinder said in a statement.

Ashton has scored 90 tries for Northampton in 106 appearances and has built a reputation as one of the game’s deadliest finishers.