England Sweat Over Ellis Genge’s Fitness Ahead of New Zealand Tour
England’s preparation for their upcoming rugby union tour of New Zealand has been thrown into uncertainty as they sweat over the fitness of prop Ellis Genge. The Bristol Bears loosehead is set to undergo a scan on a calf injury he sustained during his club’s final Premiership match against Harlequins.
Genge, a 29-year-old key figure in the England national team, was helped off the pitch in the first half after going down following a scrum. The experienced front-rower was seen leaving the stadium in a moon boot and on crutches, raising concerns about the severity of the issue.
“He popped a calf in the scrum,” Bristol boss Pat Lam revealed. “We don’t know how bad it is, but for him to come off and be in a moon boot after is a sign. Hopefully for England, it won’t be as bad as it looks.”
Genge had previously made a speedy recovery from a hamstring problem to feature in four games for England during the recent Six Nations campaign. He started the final three matches, replacing Joe Marler off the bench in the win over Wales.
With England set to name their first training squad for the summer Tests against Japan and New Zealand on Sunday, followed by the touring party announcement on June 10, Genge’s potential unavailability would be a significant blow. The prop is a vital carrier, scrum-time asset, and a leader within the national squad.
In Genge’s absence, veteran Harlequins prop Joe Marler could be in line to start, though his willingness to tour has been a subject of discussion in the past. Other loosehead options for England include Fin Baxter, Bevan Rodd, and Beno Obano, all of whom have impressed for their respective Premiership clubs this season.
England will face Japan in Tokyo on June 22 before a two-Test series against the formidable All Blacks on July 6 and 13, making Genge’s fitness a crucial concern for the national team management.
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