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There was good and bad news for England team manager Martin Johnson this morning.
His captain Steve Borthwick should be fit to take part in the Autumn international series of matches despite a painful rib injury, but Harlequins centre Jordan Turner-Hall looks like being ruled out by a shoulder problem.
Both players were hurt as Borthwick led Saracens to victory at Quins and Johnson will be delighted that his captain's injury is just a sprained rib cartilage.
But Turner-Hall's problem looks more serious and the result of his shoulder scan will be announced later today.
An RFU statement said: "Steve Borthwick has been diagnosed with a sprained rib cartilage, which he sustained during the club's Guinness Premiership victory over Harlequins on Saturday.
"The second row underwent a scan which revealed the sprain. The Saracens and England medical teams believe that the injury will not prevent Steve from being part of the Investec Challenge Internationals, although it was too early to say whether he will be available for Saracens Premiership clash against Gloucester at Vicarage Road on Sunday."
England's first autumn Test is against Australia on 7 November, followed by Argentina and New Zealand on consecutive weekends.
Borthwick has captained England in every Test since the 2008 summer tour to New Zealand and Johnson will be relieved not to have to make a change.
Quins have though dispelled fears that England wing Dave Strettle has suffered yet another metatarsal injury and say he is expected to be fit in a week's time.
Meanwhile, Gloucester captain Gareth Delve and London Irish back row George Stowers have been each suspended for three weeks following their brawl at the Madejski Stadium.
The two players came to blows after Stowers's dangerous tackle on Gloucester scrum-half Dave Lewis in the final minute of London Irish's 40-10 victory on September 13. Stowers received a two-week ban for the tackle and a further one week suspension for striking Delve, who had reacted to the challenge with a flurry of punches.
