Steve Borthwick forced into rethink with England hopeful out for season

Northampton Saints winger George Hendy has confirmed that his season is over after undergoing an operation on his shoulder.

The 22-year-old was forced from the field clutching his shoulder after a matter of minutes of the Saints’ Investec Champions Cup quarter-final last month against Castres following a mazy run. His director of rugby Phil Dowson confirmed after the match that he had dislocated his shoulder and would be out for a “substantial amount of time”.

Northampton went on to win the match 51-16 to book a repeat of last year’s semi-final against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, which Hendy will of course be absent for. The winger’s replacement against Castres, George Furbank, will also miss the trip to Dublin after aggravating the arm he broke in December when crossing the line against the Top 14 outfit.

“Not the ideal end to my season but can’t wait to watch the boys rip in these next few weeks. Looking forward to getting back out there next season,” he wrote on social media from his hospital bed.

 

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A member of the England A squad that defeated Ireland A in February, last season’s Gallagher Premiership final player of the match would have been in Steve Borthwick’s plans for England’s fixtures against Argentina and the USA in July.

With his Saints team-mate Tommy Freeman all but a certainty to go on the British and Irish Lions tour at the end of the season, Furbank a contender to go with him and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso still injured, there were going to be some vacancies out wide for England in Argentina which Hendy would have eyed filling.

The former England U20 international will now have to wait until next season to continue his journey towards the senior national set-up.