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Beaumont to cover Lawes as England’s injury list grows

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Josh Beaumont has been added to England’s training squad for their camp in Portugal next week as Courtney Lawes awaits a scan on a swollen knee.

Josh Beaumont has been added to England’s training squad for their camp in Portugal next week as Courtney Lawes awaits a scan on a swollen knee.

The uncapped Beaumont was initially omitted from Eddie Jones’ 34-man squad that will take on South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia this autumn.

But the Sale skipper, who is equally capable at lock or in the back row, will link up with the 2016 RBS 6 Nations champions following the Sharks clash with Bristol today.

Jones is already without a host of forward options with likely starters Maro Itoje and George Kruis both set to miss the entire autumn campaign, while James Haskell, Jack Clifford, Mike Williams and Sam Jones have also been ruled out.

The loss of Lawes would be tough for Jones to take but the lock was a late withdrawal from Northampton’s 23-20 win over Gloucester on Friday night.

The second row had a swollen knee after training in midweek and will have a scan this week.

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder is “not sure” if Lawes will make England’s autumn Tests, with South Africa first up on 12 November.

“Courtney has a bad knee – he did it a couple of weeks ago and missed the Montpellier game,” Mallinder added.

“We thought it had improved and he played last week with no problem, but midweek in training it reacted so we will have to have a scan on it to see the extent of the injury.

“Fingers crossed there is not too much damage and he will be ready in a couple of weeks.”