Tindall ruled out for six weeks

England centre Mike Tindall will miss the entire 2004 Six Nations Championship after suffering ankle ligament damage during Bath’s 24-15 Zurich Premiership victory over Saracens.

Tindall sustained the injury as he twisted and gathered the ball on the try-line following Ollie Barkley’s chip through and although initial fears that he had broken his leg proved unfounded, he is still facing a 12-week stint on the sidelines.

The results of an MRI scan at Royal Bath United Hospital this morning revealed that the blockbusting centre, who featured heavily in England’s World Cup campaign, had ruptured all three of his lateral ligaments in his right ankle.