2021 Six Nations Injuries Update

All the latest news on players injured throughout this year's Six Nations Championship

2021 Six Nations Injuries Update

All eyes are on the 2021 Six Nations and while we debate who could win it all, whether a Grand Slam is on and who is in red hot British & Irish Lions form there is the perpetual issue: who has the healthiest squad?

Every season players drop out, so here is a rolling update of the major injuries for each team.

2021 Six Nations Injuries

England

Jack Willis suffered a serious knee injury in the win over Italy as he was cleared out at a ruck. The back-row was taken off on a stretcher and has subsequently had surgery.

Uncapped Bristol scrum-half Harry Randall (ankle) and experienced Northampton lock Courtney Lawes (pectoral) have also been ruled out for the rest of the championship after picking up injuries in training.

Related: England Six Nations Squad

France

Rather than injuries, it’s Covid-19 that has caused the most disruption in the French squad and led to the postponement of their third-round match against Scotland.

Ahead of the scheduled Scotland fixture, Demba Bamba was recalled to the France squad having recovered from a hamstring problem, but reports in France suggest he is likely to miss the remainder of the championship having suffered another injury while training at home.

Related: France Six Nations Squad

Ireland 

Caelan Doris is set to miss the entire championship after coach Andy Farrell said the back-rower would be “out for the foreseeable future” with concussion symptoms but he has started to make a limited return to training with Leinster.

Scrum-half Conor Murray missed the matches against France and Italy after suffering a hamstring injury, but is expected to be fit to play Scotland in round four.

Following the Italy match, Jordan Larmour (hip), Tadhg Furlong (ankle), Dave Kilcoyne (HIA) and Ronan Kelleher (ankle) are being assessed by the Ireland medical team.

Related: Ireland Six Nations Squad

Italy

A dislocated finger ruled Italy scrum-half Stephen Varney out of the Ireland match but he is back in the squad ahead of their fourth-round fixture against Wales.

However, prop Cherif Traore will miss the rest of the championship after breaking his arm against Ireland.

Related: Italy Six Nations Squad

Scotland

Centre Cameron Redpath wasn’t part of the squad selected for the France match, which was subsequently postponed, due to a neck problem while back-rowers Gary Graham and Blade Thomson also returned to their clubs because of injury.

Related: Scotland Six Nations Squad

Wales

Dan Lydiate was released from the squad and ruled out of the championship due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in Wales’ opening match against Ireland. He has subsequently undergone surgery.

Hamstring injuries have been causing problems for the scrum-halves. Tomos Williams suffered a hamstring injury in the game against Ireland and missed both the Scotland and England fixtures but could return to face Italy, especially after Kieran Hardy was ruled out for the rest of the championship. One of the try-scorers in the win over England, Hardy damaged his hamstring in that match.

Scarlets star Josh Macleod was due to win his first cap against Scotland but ruptured his Achilles tendon in training and is now likely to be out for six months.

Related: Wales Six Nations Squad

This post will be updated throughout the Six Nations.

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