Front-row players take a hit ahead of Six Nations

Asher Opoku-Fordjour

England’s front-row stocks have taken a hit with Sale prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour ruled out of the Six Nations by a shoulder injury.

Opoku-Fordjour, who has not played since the end of November because of an elbow problem, injured his shoulder in training last week.

“He will have surgery tomorrow in Cardiff which essentially will put him out for the next couple of months,” said Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson.

“It is a real shocker for him, for us and for England.”

England’s Six Nations campaign begins against Wales on 7 February and concludes in France on 14 March.

Opoku-Fordjour, who has won six caps, featured against Australia and Argentina this autumn.

Although the 21-year-old can also play at loose-head, he has specialised at tighthead recently.

A serious Achilles injury has already ruled British and Irish Lion Will Stuart out of the Six Nations, leaving options on that side of the front row badly depleted.

Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon, who won the Under-20 Rugby World Cup alongside Opoku-Fordjour in 2024, and Northampton’s 33-year-old Trevor Davison are among the contenders to step up.

The importance of Leicester’s Joe Heyes, who has enjoyed a superb six months at tighthead for his country, is now higher than ever.

“It takes a special kind of person to take on the psychological load of playing international rugby at tight-head at 19 or 20 years old anyway,” said Sanderson of Opoku-Fordjour.

“He already has that ability to handle, to reframe, to carry.