England back Jack Nowell to make it to World Cup despite appendix operation

England have backed Exeter wing Jack Nowell to be fit in time for the World Cup despite his latest injury setback.

The 26-year-old has his appendix removed after complaining of stomach pain on arrival to England's training camp in Treviso.

It comes as another setback for Nowell, who was already on the sidelines with an ankle injury that he sustained during the Premiership final against Saracens in May.

Nowell has already missed England's warm-up games leading into the World Cup but defence coach John Mitchell is confident that the 5ft 11in wing has enough experience behind him to overcome lack of match practice ahead of the showpiece event in Japan.

“We have no worries there,” Mitchell told the BBC.

“What I really admire about him is when going through his rehab and the sickness, it doesn’t seem to upset him in terms of the energy that he brings to the group. He is a good man and we really back Jack.

“The ankle is progressing and we expect him to be running pretty soon. The [appendicitis] doesn’t help but we still have 20 days until the tournament starts and they will be extremely vital for him.”

England will take on Italy in their final warm-up game in Newcastle on 6th September before they kick-start their World Cup campaign against Tonga in Sapporo on 22nd September.