Rees injury blow opens England door for Armitage

WASPS flanker Tom Rees will miss the start of England’s RBS 6 Nations campaign after it was confirmed he had suffered ligament damage in his left knee.

Rees, 24, is expected to be sidelined for a minimum of two months with a moderate tear to his medial ligament — ruling him out of England’s games against Italy on February 7, Wales a week later and Ireland on February 28.

He will also miss Wasps’ vital Heineken Cup pool fixtures against Leinster at Twickenham on January 17 and Castres the following Sunday.

Rees suffered the injury just three minutes after coming on as a replacement in Wasps’ 24-18 Guinness Premiership victory over Harlequins at Adams Park on Sunday.

His absence could open the England door for the powerful London Irish flanker Steffon Armitage who is arguably the form openside in the country and has helped the Exiles to the top of the Premiership.

Armitage, 23, was included in the England Saxons squad in July after an impressive breakthrough season with London Irish.

England manager Martin Johnson will name his new 32-man squad for the Six Nations on January 14.

Leicester flanker Lewis Moody is also ready to reclaim his place in the England squad having missed the summer tour and autumn internationals after suffering a ruptured Achilles and undergoing a hip operation.

Wasps’ disappointment at losing Rees will be tempered somewhat by the performance of the destructive Serge Betsen in the openside position against Harlequins.

Meanwhile, Gloucester and England wing Lesley Vainikolo has undergone surgery on his ruptured right Achilles tendon and will not play again this season. Vainikolo went under the knife at the Cromwell Hospital in London last night and will be out of action for at least seven months.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury during the first half of Gloucester’s 22-16 Guinness Premiership victory over Saracens on Saturday.

Vainikolo has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season and has scored eight tries. He won the first of his five England caps against Wales in the RBS 6 Nations last year.

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan said: “Les is a massive part of our squad, not just for his on-field contributions but because his personality is such an integral and vital part of the group. It will naturally leave a very significant gap – and with the current injuries we have in the squad, at the moment this could not have come at a worse time.”

“We appreciate it will be a long road — and he will have all the support he needs from everyone associated with the club.”