England back-rower Ben Earl to be fit in time for Six Nations after undergoing surgery after update

England’s Ben Earl is set to be back to full fitness in time for the 2024 Six Nations after picking up an injury ahead of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Harlequins and Saracens at the Twickenham Stoop.

The back-rower suffered a knock in the warm-up and left the ground in crutches as his Saracens team-mates put on a masterclass to beat their derby rivals 38-10.

A scan revealed the 25-year-old had damaged his meniscus, which has now been repaired, with the club issuing an update detailing how long he is expected to be out for.

“[Ben Earl] damaged his meniscus, has had surgery on Tuesday and is looking to return in around six to eight weeks,” the update read.

That would put Earl in line for a January return, well in time for England’s Six Nations opener against Italy on February 3.

Earl was instrumental in England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals before Steve Borthwick’s side pipped Argentina to finish third.

He was heavily relied upon in France and Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall thinks a spell on the sidelines could be a blessing in disguise for him.

“We're all pleased it's not a serious long-term injury. I think he will be playing in the month of January,” McCall said.

“There are three or four games in January so that would be ample time for Ben to get in.

“He's had a busy time with a lot of minutes in August, September and October, so to have a six-week period not playing rugby might actually be good for him in the long run.”

Earl’s fellow England international Elliot Daly is already back in full training after also picking up a knock in the warm-up on Saturday, but the news is worse for Alex Lozowski and Callum Hunter-Hill.

Lozowski, the Saracens centre, faces an unspecified spell on the sidelines after injuring his ACL, while Hunter-Hill has had surgery and is expected to be out for around four months.

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