Kruis boost for Jones but Joe Marler's broken leg adds to England’s Six Nations worries

England head coach Eddie Jones has been handed a timely boost ahead of next month's Six Nations tournament with Saracens confirming that lock George Kruis will be recovered from a fractured cheekbone, however, loosehead Joe Marler is the squad’s latest casualty with a broken leg ahead of the champions' tournament opener against France.

Lock forward Kruis will not play any club rugby before the France Test as per Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall.

"George will be fine for the Six Nations. The question is whether he'll play against Toulon or not. We won't know that until next week but I'd say it's unlikely," said McCall ahead of their Champions Cup double header against Scarlets on Sunday and the French giants the following Saturday.

Marler was sent for an MRI scan which revealed a lower leg fracture. The 26-year-old was about to get the starting spot after fellow prop Mako Vunipola was ruled out due to a knee injury from the start of the tournament.

“Mako will see his surgeon next week,” McCall said. “He is going to be, best case scenario, the end of February.”

Flanker James Haskell is also set to miss Wasps’ weekend fixture against Toulouse in Coventry, while centre Manu Tuilagi and flanker Chris Robshaw have already been ruled out of the tournament as Jones will have his fingers crossed his squad does not sustain any more casualties over the next 10 days.