Joe Launch Injury News. Tom West Replaces Marler in England Squad.

[Rossm]

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/england-rugby-six-nations-rugby-19694376

Congratulations Tom.

[Montague Withnail]

Bobby Bridge reports:

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/england-rugby-six-nations-rugby-19694376

Congratulations Tom.

Fantastic for Tom, very richly deserved. Fingers crossed nothing too bad for Joe - I don't think the squad has met yet, have to admit my first thought was as to whether Eddie had been at the judo again.

[Neils]

Stuff England this is bad news for Wasps - another bench sitter away fror 2 months plus Joe crocked for six weeks or so.

[Horusthewasp]

Excellent news for Tom!

Can anyone shed light on the prognosis of Launchbury’s fibia stress fracture?

[Rossm]

Joe Marler tweet:

Always grateful for the opportunity so not an easy decision, but want to do right by my family in these crazy times and won’t be meeting up with the squad for this tournament. Look forward to watching the team rip in. Go well x

Understandable, though EJ may have preferred that he'd made his decision before the squad was announced.

[will311293]

Stuff England this is bad news for Wasps - another bench sitter away fror 2 months plus Joe crocked for six weeks or so.

So we have lost Robson, West and Odogwu (plus Launch)?

I think shadow squad players are still with us but if called up then they are gone

[hookender]

Good news for Tom ,bad news for Wasps

[Shugs]

Congrats to West. Commiserations to Wasps. This is the inevitable consequence of having some of the best players in the league. West's chance is well earned and once they've had a look at him I think he'll be a regular.

[Steve from Cov]

Hope Joe is okay. He was on fire.

Congratulations Tom. Well deserved.

This is what happens when you have success - you lose players

I’m hoping we can field a strong squad at the weekend.

[baldpaul101]

I assume the England squad meet up after this weekends fixtures so we have everyone available?

[baldpaul101]

I assumed wrong, they go into camp on the 27th

[wasps]

I'm even more confused as to what the purpose of the shadow squad is.

If it doesn't contain enough players to cover all positions, what value is there?

[will311293]

Probably because EJ knows he would be hung drawn and quartered if J Willis wasn't in the squad in some capacity.

[Raggs]

Seeing as the bubbles haven't started, he's not limited to taking a tighthead from the shadow squad, when he's just lost a loosehead, so he's probably just taking advantage of that.

Nice to know that he rates West as highly as I do.

[WonkyWasp]

On a personal level .... brilliant! Congratulations Tom!  very happy for you.  Joe -  get well soon and here's hoping  that it  will soon mend; what a bummer. Marler ... couldn't care less.   It is a big knockback for Wasps tho'.