London Wasps will go into their final two Amlin Challenge Cup matches without former skipper Phil Vickery after the club confirmed he will require at least a further eight weeks as he recovers from neck surgery.
Vickery picked up the injury in Wasps' European Challenge Cup victory over Racing Metro in October and while the club insist that his recovery is going well, he will be out for longer than the original three months predicted.
It means he will be out of the potential Pool decider with Racing Metro on January 21 in Paris. And, as far as his country is concerned, it means he will miss England's opening game of the Six Nations is against Wales at Twickenham on February 6.
The news is more positive for flanker Joe Worsley, who is expected back in training in four weeks after a knee ligament injury but promising scrum-half Joe Simpson is out for 12 weeks after dislocating his shoulder against Harlequins at Twickenham on December 27.
Long-term injury absentee Tom Rees is set to return to training in a minimum of six weeks following shoulder surgery.
