England Prop Fin Baxter Sidelined for Entire Six Nations Campaign
England's preparations for the upcoming Six Nations tournament have suffered a significant setback with the news that prop Fin Baxter will miss the entire championship. The 23-year-old loosehead is scheduled to undergo foot surgery this week, ruling him out of contention for Steve Borthwick's squad.
Consistent Performer Forced onto Sidelines
Baxter has been a mainstay of the England front row in recent times, having featured in each of the national side's last 18 Test matches. His effective partnership with Ellis Genge on the loosehead side of the scrum has been particularly noteworthy, providing England with valuable stability and power in the set piece.
The young prop's absence compounds what has become a concerning injury situation for head coach Steve Borthwick. Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour are also unavailable due to injury, creating significant depth challenges in the prop positions ahead of the tournament opener against Wales on February 7th.
Training Camp Adjustments and Club Concerns
On Tuesday, England confirmed that both Baxter and Sale flanker Ben Curry would miss this week's training camp in Girona, Spain. Curry has been replaced in the squad by Baxter's Harlequins teammate Jack Kenningham, while no direct replacement has been named for the injured prop.
Baxter's surgery represents bad news not only for England but also for his club side Harlequins. The Premiership team has endured a difficult season, winning just two of their ten matches to date, and will now be without one of their key forwards for an extended period.
The prop was initially withdrawn from Harlequins' defeat to Bristol in December and has not featured since, indicating the injury has been troubling him for several weeks.
Jamie George's Championship Ambitions
Meanwhile, England hooker Jamie George has outlined his determination to secure further Six Nations success as he approaches the latter stages of his international career. The 35-year-old has confirmed he will retire at the end of next season, hoping to conclude his playing days by helping England win the 2027 World Cup.
George has already won three Six Nations titles with England and toured three times with the British and Irish Lions, but remains hungry for more silverware. 'I have hopefully got two Six Nations left in my career and I want to get my hands on that trophy as much as anyone,' said the experienced hooker.
'The motivation is incredibly high in the squad and there is a real appetite to get better and kick on and achieve things. At England, we want to be at the top. We want to win things.'
Chasing Championship History
If George can help England triumph in this year's tournament and again in 2026 before his retirement, he would join an exclusive group of players who have won five Six Nations crowns. This prestigious list currently includes Wales legend Alun Wyn Jones and Ireland trio Conor Murray, Cian Healy, and Iain Henderson.
England enter their Six Nations opener against Wales on Saturday on an impressive run of 11 consecutive victories, though they have not won the tournament itself since 2020. George acknowledged this gap in their recent achievements, stating: 'I have been lucky enough to win three (Six Nations) and that isn't enough in my time. We have got too many second places and too many third places.'
Focus on Immediate Challenges
Despite looking ahead to his eventual retirement, George remains fully focused on the immediate challenges facing the England squad. 'Ideally, my career will finish at the World Cup in 2027,' he explained. 'But I am not looking that far ahead. I want to give myself the best opportunity to be in with a chance of selection for Wales then Scotland moving forward.'
The hooker's decision to announce his retirement plans 18 months before the next World Cup reflects his appreciation for the privilege of representing England. 'It just reinforces how special what I do is and how much I am going to love the next 18 months,' George added. 'I have never taken for granted how much of a privilege it is to play in the Six Nations and represent England.'
England captain Maro Itoje will join the training camp in Girona later this week after attending his mother's funeral in Nigeria. The squad continues its preparations for what promises to be a challenging Six Nations campaign, now without the services of the influential Fin Baxter.
