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Tindall injury is blow for England

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World rugby champions England have been badly hit by injuries to two members of their cup-winning team, fly-half Jonny Wilkinson and centre Mike Tindall. Both are likely to miss England's summer tour to South Africa.

They were injured in Newcastle's English Premiership victory over Gloucester on Friday.

Tindall suffered a suspected broken leg and was treated in hospital after a collision ith England's Newcastle centre Toby Flood.

"It was fairly obvious from the crack that Mike had broken his leg," said Newcastle rugby director John Fletcher.

The injury-prone Wilkinson, who was replaced for the sole defeat of Six Nations champions France in the campaign, has damaged rib cartilage and will be out "for a short period".

"He did it last week and aggravated it again tonight," Fletcher added.

"We can't say how long until the doctors have had a look at it."

Tindall went back to Gloucester on Friday with a cast on his lower leg and is believed to have broken his tibia.

Flood said: "It's deeply depressing. I hope he gets well soon. I stepped inside him and it was instinctive for him to stretch out his leg."

Gloucester coach Dean Ryan, who also lost another England player,Iain Balshaw, with a dead leg, said Tindall had undergone an X-ray on his shin and expected to learn more details over the weekend.

If the break is confirmed, Tindall will certainly miss the Premiership play-offs, for which Gloucester secured their place on Friday with a bonus point in defeat.

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