Manu Tuilagi to remain on sidelines for another six to eight weeks

England and Leicester have been dealt a major blow as centre Manu Tuilagi will continue to remain on the sidelines for the next six to eight weeks.

The 25-year-old's career has been marred with a series of injuries and the latest was the flare of his long-standing groin problem which troubled him during Leicester Tigers' opening game of the ongoing Aviva Premiership against Gloucester.

With England's autumn Tests around the corner where they face South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia, Tuilagi's injury lay-off will add to the compounding problem of head coach Eddie Jones with James Haskell and Jack Clifford already ruled out it.

"He has still got a tight groin. We are hoping he will be back on the field within six to eight weeks," rugby director of Leicester Tigers Richard Cockerill said.

"It's tough, tough for everyone. We will support him, and he's working hard.

"When we get to six to eight weeks, we will see. It might be another three.

"He is a world-class player. He doesn't want to be injured, we don't want him to be injured. We want him on the field.

"His groin is not right, and we are going to get it right. When it's right he will play. At the moment we are hoping it will be six to eight weeks - if it's not, it's not.

"He is running and it's nowhere as severe as it was. It's tight, and we want to get rid of that."

Earlier, Tuilagi was also ruled out of Engand's recent tour of Australia which they won 3-0 for the first time due to a hamstring injury which he sustained during the Aviva Premiership semi-final game last season.

With 34-14 victory over Bath at Welford Road on Sunday, Leicester Tigers are placed fourth in the Aviva Premiership table.