Joe Worsley will miss the make-or-break defence by London Wasps of their European crown on Saturday and could be unavailable for England when they begin their RBS Six Nations Championship campaign against Wales on February 2. The experienced flanker has a bulging disc in his neck that, although it does not require surgery, needs to be rested.

It is a matter of intense frustration for Worsley, whose value to Wasps has never been more obvious than in Heineken Cup ties in recent years, not least the 2004 semi-final against Munster, this weekend’s opponents at Thomond Park. Worsley produced a magnificent performance against the Irish province at Lansdowne Road and then another at Twickenham, where Wasps beat Toulouse to win the cup for the first time.

But he has played in only one match for his club this season after damaging a hamstring during the World Cup final in October. Worsley appeared against Leeds Carnegie in a Guinness Premiership match this month and was scheduled to play in the European pool match against Llanelli Scarlets on Sunday, only to be withdrawn on the morning of the match.

The injury is not a new one and Ian McGeechan, the Wasps director of rugby, was yesterday unwilling to put a time on Worsley’s return to fitness. However, he is unlikely to play between now and England’s first selection for the Six Nations, depriving his country of 65 caps of experience.

Nor is McGeechan certain whether Riki Flutey, the centre who has been the revelation of Wasps’ season, will have recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered against Llanelli , but Josh Lewsey, the England back, is scheduled to return today from his wedding in Canada and Dominic Waldouck demonstrated against Llanelli that he has recovered form after a long injury absence.

Raphael Ibañez, the Wasps and France hooker who retired from international rugby last week, has been cited for stamping on Simon Easterby, the Llanelli flanker, in the match at Adams Park. Jerry Flannery, the Munster hooker, is also in the dock for foul play involving Julien Bonnaire, the Clermont Auvergne forward, during Munster’s defeat by the French club on Sunday.