KEY POINTS:
England could be without star back Jason Robinson for their upcoming Six Nations rugby game against France, after it emerged last night that he has a trapped nerve in his neck.
The Sale full-back, who came out of international retirement and featured for England on the wing at
the start of the Six Nations Championship last month, missed the defeat against Ireland in Dublin last weekend with what was initially diagnosed as a shoulder problem.
According to Sale, Robinson does not need an operation but does require rest, which means he will miss Sale's Guinness Premiership game at Saracens on Sunday.
Significantly, from an England point of view, a statement issued by the club did not specify a time-scale for his recovery.
"The good news is that the problem should not need any corrective surgery and with the correct rest and rehab, Jason should be back playing very soon," said Dave Jones, the Sale club doctor.
The period of rest was described in the statement as "a few days", but it means that the England head coach Brian Ashton, who is due to name a 28-man training squad this morning and his 22-man squad early next week for the France match at Twickenham on 11 March, will also spend an anxious few days himself, because Robinson is certainly doubtful for the France date.
There was better news for England regarding Magnus Lund, who took a knock to the head against Ireland.
While the flanker is likely to miss Sale's trip to Saracens, Jones added: "We are hopeful he will be fit next week."Meanwhile, the injury-ravaged club announced that the France full-back Julien Laharrague had been signed until the end of the season after being released by Perpignan.
Laharrague has won 11 caps for his country and Sale have an option to extend his contract into next season.
Elvis Seveali'i, Sale's Samoa centre, has signed a three-year extension to his contract keeping him at the club until 2010.
However, Mark Taylor, the former Wales and Lions centre, looks certain to leave the club, with Ospreys the favourites to claim his signature.
Taylor has said that he wants to end his career in Wales.
Ospreys are bracing themselves for the departure of Justin Marshall, the former New Zealand scrum-half who is attracting interest from Stade Francais, and that has fuelled rumours that Cardiff's Mike Phillips could move to the club as a replacement.
- INDEPENDENT