Relief for Fourie after injury is deemed minor

HENDRE FOURIE'S Six Nations dream remains alive after the calf injury he sustained last weekend was deemed to be not as serious as first feared.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Jan 2011, 08:31 BST

Updated 27th Jan 2011, 08:31 BST

The 31-year-old South Africa-born flanker suffered the injury in Leeds Carnegie's European Challenge Cup tie with Bucharest last Sunday and there were concerns an aggravation of the injury that forced him home from last summer's tour to Australia would ruin his Six Nations chances

But England team manager Martin Johnson said yesterday: "He has been assessed and has got a grade one calf injury. We expect him to be fit enough to return to training by the end of this week, or the start of next week at the very latest."

The management team are confident Fourie will be fit and available for selection for the opener against Wales in Cardiff next Friday.

Johnson yesterday branded Warren Gatland's attempts to wind up England hooker Dylan Hartley as the actions of a man under pressure.

He said: "Wales are under pressure as a team with their performances and not winning a game for a while."