Rugby:Centre Manu Tuilagi looks set to miss England's RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland due to a hamstring injury.
Interim England head coach Stuart Lancaster already has a tough task on his hands and looks set to be without Leicester's Tuilagi in Edinburgh on February 4 after he suffered the injury during the Tigers' Aviva Premiership win against Worcester on December 27.
Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill expects Tuilagi to be out for around a month, meaning the 20-year-old faces a fight to be fit for the second Six Nations game against Italy on February 11.
"Manu will be out for four to six weeks," Cockerill is quoted as telling the Daily Telegraph. "It may be a month depending on how his rehab goes."
Fly-half Toby Flood is also reportedly set to be ruled out of England's opening match due to a knee injury.
The Daily Mail reports that the 26-year-old Leicester playmaker could be out for up to six weeks after picking up a knock during the Tigers' 28-23 victory over Sale Sharks on Sunday.
Cockerill said: "Toby has had a bang on the knee and it's being treated. We'll just have to wait and see how it progresses."
Flood looked set to spearhead England's defence of the Six Nations title.
Lock Louis Deacon is also out of the running for the early part of the Six Nations with a hamstring injury while second row Courtney Lawes is another facing a fitness battle. Lancaster will name his 32-man squad for the Six Nations on January 11.
