- Lawrence went down injured just eight minutes into England’s victory over Italy
- Team-mate Fin Smith admitted the incident ‘broke his heart’ while on the field
- The centre is set to see a specialist to discover the severity of the Achilles issue
England will go into Super Saturday with an outside chance of winning the Six Nations but they will have to do it without powerhouse centre Ollie Lawrence.
A seven-try victory over Italy kept English hopes alive but it was marred after Lawrence ruptured his Achilles in the eighth minute.
Lawrence will not be available for the final-round Test against Wales and he is also set to miss out on this summer’s Lions tour of Australia.
‘There’s a sort of deeper level to it and when you see one of your best mates potentially losing the chance to go on a Lions tour and what was bound to be a massive year for him, it breaks your heart,’ said team-mate Fin Smith.
‘I think I was probably a bit too gutted on the pitch seeing that happen and it maybe rattled me for a few minutes. I probably made a few mistakes off the back of it. We’re all absolutely devastated for him. I’ve got everything crossed that the scans say it’s not too bad but it is not looking brilliant. He is absolutely devastated. We’ve got to be good friends to him now and look out for him because it is going to be a tough time for him.’
Lawrence will see a specialist early this week as England prepare to take on a Wales team that have suffered 16 consecutive defeats since the 2023 World Cup.
Ollie Lawrence’s Lions participation is in doubt after he ruptured his Achilles on Saturday
The England centre will miss the game with Wales – which could see his side win Six Nations
He will see a specialist this week to determine the extent of the injury and the length of time he will be out of action for
Team-mate Fin Smith said it ‘broke his heart’ to see Lawrence’s Lions hopes seemingly dissolve in front of him
With Henry Slade left out of the squad, Elliot Daly was shifted into the midfield, although winger Tommy Freeman is another candidate to start in the 13 jersey in Cardiff.
‘We obviously have a couple of options about how we make a change,’ said Steve Borthwick. ‘It was Elliot’s ability to cover centre, Tommy’s ability to go into the centre, so there were adaptions and at different times in the game we did it in different ways. I would have no doubt about either of those guys playing in the centre.’
The victory was a fitting occasion for hooker Jamie George, who led out the team on his 100th cap. Skipper Maro Itoje paid tribute to his team-mates, saying: ‘He’s an incredible rugby player. He brings leadership, he brings calmness, he brings a toughness. As a hooker, a forward, he’s one of the most intelligent rugby players that I’ve ever played with.
‘I think my career has been richer as a result of playing with and working alongside Jamie. Jamie pulls the group together, he is the ultimate people person. All he wants is the best for the team. I’m absolutely delighted for Jamie, and he’s still got loads more left in the tank. So I’m excited to see how he continues to go.’
