Worsley joins a long list of players on the England casualty list

England and Wasps flanker Joe Worsley will be out for at least eight weeks after injuring his knee against New Zealand at the weekend.

But Worsley could be in with a chance of featuring in the Six Nations, with England's first game on 6 February.

The 32-year-old was injured inside the first minute of England's 19-6 defeat at Twickenham, and a scan revealed he suffered medial ligament damage.

"Joe will take a conservative approach to his rehab," read a Wasps statement.

Worsley, who has 74 caps for his country, is clearly still a part of England manager Martin Johnson's thinking for the tournament.

"The best guess is he will be playing around about the Six Nations," said Johnson.

"Whether he has had enough games around the start of it to play in the first couple of games or whether he needs to play for his club like he did in the autumn (is unclear).

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Worsley's injury

"It'll just be a week-by-week process of monitoring how he goes. A lot of those ligament and muscle injuries, people heal at different rates."

Worsley's injury is just the latest in a long line suffered by England players this season, with fellow back-rowers like flanker Tom Rees and number eight Nick Easter also on the casualty list.

But Johnson suggested that Worsley's experience means he would be more likely to throw the flanker back into the Test arena.

"When guys get back it's about getting back to Test match level," added Johnson.

"With the older guys, it's a little bit easier; they know what it's about. The younger guys, it is a little bit different."

Meanwhile, Worsley's Wasps and England team-mate Danny Cipriani has had a minor setback in his recovery from a fractured fibula.

The fly-half has suffered a chest infection, forcing him to delay his return to training.

Wasps expect the 22-year-old to be back on the training ground next week.

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