Sheridan facing four months out after shoulder surgery
ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson’s autumn plans have been plunged into chaos once again after prop Andrew Sheridan was ruled out for four months.
The British and Irish Lions loosehead will undergo reconstructive surgery tomorrow, meaning he will miss the November internationals and the start of next year’s Six Nations.
Sheridan, who has played in 21 of England’s last 28 Tests, suffered the injury when a scrum collapsed during Sale’s Heineken Cup win over Cardiff Blues on Friday. The 29-year-old’s absence means Johnson will be without a host of key players for the upcoming fixtures against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.
Bath forward Lee Mears was also ruled out yesterday, while Leicester back Toby Flood too has a knee injury. Wasps lock Simon Shaw is suffering from a toe problem, while shoulder complaints have also ruled out London Irish full-back Delon Armitage and Brive centre Riki Flutey.
“It’s bad news for Andrew, England and Sale and we just have to come to terms with it,” said Sale director of rugby Kingsley Jones. “Andrew is a great presence around our team and he will be missed.”
Should Sheridan take the full four months to recover he will miss England’s Six Nations opener against Wales on 6 February and the trip to Italy eight days later.
A lack of match practice would also make him a major doubt for the visit of Grand Slam winners Ireland on 27 February.
Sheridan was given oxygen on the pitch as doctors put his shoulder back in place late in last week’s match.
Mears, meanwhile, is facing a six-to-eight week absence after injuring his knee in a Heineken Cup defeat to Ulster earlier this month.
The 30-year-old, who has 34 caps, was taken off after damaging medial ligaments in his left knee.