England’s injury crisis is spilling over into the Guinness Premiership as a whole.

For all the fine intentions built into the agreement between the Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby Ltd (PRL), extraordinary measures may be forced on both even before the first of England’s autumn internationals, against Australia on November 7.

Such has been the rate of attrition among the country’s leading prop forwards that Martin Johnson must look outside the two squads he named in July. When Julian White, the Leicester tight-head, was helped off with a torn right hamstring after five minutes of Saturday’s Premiership game against London Irish, it brought to nine the number of props named either in the senior or Saxons squad, or capped within the past 16 months, who are unavailable to the England team manager.

Admittedly two of them, Alex Corbisiero and Dan Cole, are due to play within the next week, but only after several weeks’ absence, which means that they have no form or match fitness behind them.

So England’s management have turned their sights on Bath, who boast three experienced — and fit — props who were omitted from both the squads: David Flatman and Duncan Bell have played for England, David Barnes has more experience than most of Premiership and European rugby. The latter two are expected to be included in a revised squad.

But Bath, who lost another England prop in Matt Stevens last season after he failed a drugs test, already have David Wilson in the senior squad (and he has not played more than two hours of rugby this season because of knee surgery). As matters stand, the England front row against Australia will include Tim Payne and Wilson, who started together against Argentina at Old Trafford in June, because they are the only surviving props.

“If we were to lose [two more props] for next weekend and potentially for weekends into November, we’re going to have to look at where we’re at and, given our resources, what we can do,” Steve Meehan, the Bath head coach, said. During that period he has to negotiate two Premiership matches and two Anglo-Welsh matches and he is conscious of exposing inexperienced players. “If we are short in that position, it will be a question that Premier Rugby will have to face. Will we be able to take the field knowing the health and safety issues and that we have a duty of care? Our next tight head is an 18-year-old, Kane Newport. We have a duty of care to him and we can’t [pick him] at all.”

Phil Winstanley, Premier Rugby’s operations manager, will monitor the situation with Bath, who should have Flatman and Nathan Catt available.

For the November series, the concern of England’s medical team focuses on Nick Easter. The Harlequins No 8 left Worcester on crutches after pulling his right calf muscle during Harlequins’ win over the Warriors and seems likely to miss at least one, if not more, of the internationals while Dominic Waldouck, the London Wasps centre, fractured a cheekbone after a collision with his own captain, Serge Betsen, against Gloucester.

Thankfully, Jonny Wilkinson survived Toulon’s match against Bourgoin before travelling to join England at Bagshot. Wilkinson, set to resume his lengthy career at fly half, scored a try and kicked five conversions and two penalty goals in a 46-28 win. “It will be great to have him on our side,” said Steve Borthwick, who is set to retain his place as England captain, of the player who helped Toulon to impose the only defeat Saracens have suffered this season 11 days ago.

Ryan Jones will retain the captaincy of Wales, whose 29-man squad for next month’s internationals includes Dan Lydiate, the uncapped Newport Gwent Dragons flanker. Dwayne Peel is included even though he will not be available for the first match, against New Zealand on November 7, because he cannot be released by Sale Sharks but two other Lions, Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams, have returned to full fitness just in time.

England’s missing props

Phil Vickery (London Wasps) damaged shoulder, absent for a minimum of four months
Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks) damaged shoulder, another four-month absence
Julian White (Leicester) results of scan awaited but torn hamstring means a minimum of four weeks
Jason Hobson (London Wasps) has yet to play because of an Achilles tendon injury
Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors) torn hamstring, ten weeks away
Matt Stevens (ex-Bath) two-year suspension after failing drugs test
Nick Wood (Gloucester) foot injury, within a fortnight of a return
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish) and Dan Cole (Leicester) due to play within a week