These three players are in a race against time to prove themselves fit for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, which kicks off in September.
1. Brad Shields
Shields will be out for up to six weeks, meaning he may not play again before the squad depart for the World Cup in Japan. The 28-year-old returned home early from a training camp in Italy last week after injuring a foot. He now faces a race to prove his fitness before England’s World Cup opener against Tonga on 22 September.