Bold opening: England’s Six Nations hopes are hanging in the balance due to a serious Achilles concern for Prop Will Stuart.
In Bath’s 40-14 Champions Cup win over Munster on Saturday, Stuart appeared to suffer a suspected Achilles tendon injury, hobbling off in the 49th minute and leaving the Recreation Ground wearing a protective boot. Bath head of rugby Johan van Graan described the scene as looking very serious and noted he couldn’t even stand after being taken off. While not a medical expert, the sight suggested a potential long road to recovery, casting doubt on Stuart’s availability for England's early Six Nations fixtures.
Previously, Stuart contributed from the bench in England’s tests against Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina, as Steve Borthwick’s squad benefited from a strong group of substitutes guiding victories. Joe Heyes, who started at tighthead ahead of Stuart in those instances, delivered standout performances last month, underscoring England’s depth in the front row.
Yet, the injury situation is compounded by Asher Opoku-Fordjour’s elbow issue, which will keep him out until early to mid January, limiting England’s three-quarter options and adding to selection headaches.
Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon and Bath teammate Billy Sela have both featured for England A during the autumn, while Trevor Davison of Northampton—who earned his first cap in nearly four years against the United States in the summer—offers a more experienced alternative should it be needed.
England’s Six Nations opener is scheduled for 7 February, a home match against Wales. As the squad navigates these injury challenges, the question for fans and pundits remains: who steps up in the front row if Stuart misses time, and how will this shape England’s plans heading into the tournament?
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