Another blow for England as knee injury rules Owen Farrell out

England’s preparations for the RBS 6 Nations continued to unravel with the news Owen Farrell will miss the entire Championship because of a knee injury.

Farrell sustained a high grade medial ligament strain in Saracens’ European Champions Cup defeat at Clermont on Sunday to further stretch Stuart Lancaster’s midfield resources.

The 23-year-old was expected to supply fly-half and inside centre cover in the opener against Wales in Cardiff on Friday week, but now faces another lengthy period of rehabilitation in a year troubled by injury.