Wasps duo Hughes and Daly to miss at least first half of Six Nations

Wasps duo Nathan Hughes and Elliot Daly are set to miss at least the first half of England's Six Nations title defence due to injuries.

Hughes sustained a knee problem and Daly an ankle damage while playing for the Ricoh Arena outfit in the recently concluded European Champions Cup clash against La Rochelle, and consulted a specialist to determine the extent of the damage.

Following the consultation, it was revealed that Hughes will need eight to 10 weeks for recovery while Daly will need between 10 to 12 weeks which will put them out for the major chunk of the Six Nations tournament.

To add to the woes, Wasps will also miss the services of Jimmy Gopperth for 10 to 12 weeks following a knee injury.

Wasps rugby director Dai Young confirmed that the trio is unlikely to return to action before February but also revealed that none of them would require a surgery.

England will kick-start the 2018 Six Nations campaign with a clash against Italy at Stadio Olimpico on 4th February.