Maro Itoje could play at blindside flanker as England's injury crisis deepens ahead of autumn Tests
Maro Itoje could find himself playing in the back row at blindside flanker after England’s injury crisis ahead of the autumn Tests deepened with the news that Leicester’s Mike Williams has broken his arm.
England head coach Eddie Jones is already without James Haskell, Jack Clifford and Sam Jones and now lock Itoje could be called on to forge a partnership with Chris Robshaw, who would switch to openside, for the series, which gets under way against South Africa at Twickenham on November 12.
"It's bitterly disappointing with England on the horizon," Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill said on Tuesday of Williams' latest misfortune.
"Unfortunately he's re-fractured his arm that he broke last year. It will heal in 8-12 weeks," he told the BBC.
"It's the same arm and fracture site. Historically, these things are notoriously difficult to clear up. They have a history of coming back.
"We have done all the right things and he has done everything he can do but it is purely bad luck."
