England wing Mark Cueto is expected to be sidelined for his team’s opening World Cup fixture against Argentina this Saturday.
The 31-year-old, who has been suffering from a back problem, has not recovered from pain-killing injections and could be ruled out for up to two to three weeks, according to The Daily Mail.
Cueto is likely to be replaced by 27-year-old Delon Armitage, while Nick Easter is expected to return to the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, captain Lewis Moody continues to battle with a knee injury and will also be sidelined for the match against Argentina.