Few players are more unfortunate in England than James Simpson-Daniel. Since he first appeared in an international jersey, against New Zealand in 2002, he has won a paltry ten caps thanks to a succession of injuries whenever the national team come calling, and now he misses the November internationals after damaging ligaments in his right ankle.

After the demotion at the weekend of Tom Varndell, of Leicester, Simpson-Daniel and Paul Sackey were the only specialist wings remaining in the elite-player squad and both seemed certain to play in the Investec Challenge Series. But Simpson-Daniel was injured during Gloucester's Heineken Cup defeat by Cardiff Blues on Sunday and, after a scan on Tuesday and consultation yesterday with James Calder, a specialist, he faces an operation and a 12-week period of recuperation.

He will have no chance to press his claims for a place in the revised elite squad in January and will have had scarcely any rugby before the RBS Six Nations Championship begins on February 7. “What I have shown in my career so far is that I stay in good nick until England come along, then I find a random, one-off injury,” Simpson-Daniel, 26, said four days before playing in Cardiff and how right he was.

Martin Johnson, the England team manager, will not name a replacement immediately and may wait until after this weekend's EDF Energy Cup matches in case other squad members are injured. Tom Rees, for example, leads a London Wasps side including seven squad members in this evening's match against Newcastle Falcons, who boast one in Jamie Noon. Michael Lipman will be Bath's only England squad player against Sale Sharks this evening, who have none.

Neither Andrew Sheridan, who needs a game, nor Mathew Tait, who does not, have been chosen by Sale and Tait, along with Luke Narraway, of Gloucester, are England's other concerns at present, both having strained hamstrings. Technically, Johnson can call up replacements only from the England Saxons squad, but since six of them are injured, three have been promoted and another has hardly featured for his club, opportunities exist outside both squads.

Johnson may consider Josh Lewsey for a place on the wing against the Pacific Islanders on November 8. Of his alternatives, David Strettle (Harlequins) has broken a bone in his left foot, but Topsy Ojo (London Irish) and the uncapped pair of Ugo Monye (Harlequins) and Matt Banahan (Bath) are in form and fit.

- England will play New Zealand on November 29 at Twickenham for the Hillary Shield, instituted in memory of Sir Edmund Hillary, the late mountaineer, whose widow, June, will present the trophy to the winners.

- Wales have renewed their appeal to the four Welsh regions for the release of international squad members from October 27 to prepare for the game with South Africa on November 8.