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Thumb surgery rules England star out after call-up to England camp


Freddie Steward, Alex Mitchell and Tom Curry of England look dejected during the Guinness Six Nations 2026 match between England and Ireland at Allianz Stadium on February 21, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
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Leicester Tigers are hoping England full-back Freddie Steward will be back in time for the end of the season after he injured his thumb in their recent Gallagher PREM victory over Sale Sharks.

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The 25-year-old played the entirety of the 33-47 win at the CorpAcq Stadium, which booked the Tigers’ spot in the play-offs, and was named in Steve Borthwick’s England squad for their three-day camp this week.

However, in an injury update issued on Thursday, the club revealed he sustained an injury that “required surgery”.

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Tigers head coach Geoff Parling said: “Fred sustained a thumb injury at the end of the Sale game that has unfortunately required surgery, we’re hopeful he’ll be back before the season’s end.”

Leicester have two matches of the regular season remaining, against Exeter Chiefs at home and against Bath away, before the play-offs begin, with a maximum of four matches to come should they reach the final.

Fixture
Gallagher Premiership
Leicester
26 - 35
Full-time
Exeter Chiefs
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Steward is presumably in with a chance of making the final should the Tigers get there, which will likely make him available for England’s Nations Championship fixtures against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina in July.

The 44-cap international was one of 42 players who were named in the squad that assembled on Monday at England’s Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park and returned home on Wednesday.

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England training squad

Forwards
Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby)
Kepu Tuipulotu (Bath Rugby)

Backs
Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
Charlie Bracken (Saracens)
Noah Caluori (Saracens)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears)
Archie McParland (Northampton Saints)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)

Rehabilitation: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)

Not considered for selection: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Will Muir (Bath Rugby), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

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