London: England's Six Nations plans have been hit by a season-ending knee injury to Saracens scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth.

The 28-year-old tore knee ligaments last Sunday, 19 minutes into his first game since the World Cup.

Head coach Mark McCall described Wigglesworth's contribution since he joined from Sale at the start of last season as phenomenal. His form helped Saracens win the Premiership title and earned him a call-up to the World Cup training squad last summer.

"Richard has come from nowhere to get himself back into the England squad and I thought he had a very good World Cup," said McCall. "It's a massive blow for him because I'm sure he would have been in the Six Nations squad."

Wigglesworth, who started England's first World Cup pool game against Argentina, has benefited from injuries to rivals Ben Youngs and Danny Care.

Youngs has returned from New Zealand having suffered a recurrence of a knee injury first picked up last June which required keyhole surgery. Leicester hope he will not need further surgery and he may be fit to resume next month in Heineken Cup pool games.

There is more optimism at Harlequins for Care. He is back in full training and is expected to figure at Bath on Saturday week after recovering from the foot injury which ruled him out of the World Cup.

New contract

Saracens will face England centre Mike Tindall, who has been told by Gloucester that he must prove himself if he is to gain a new contract.

The 33-year-old's deal ends next May and head coach Bryan Redpath said: "He hasn't struck a blow in anger this year for Gloucester. If Mike plays well there is no reason not to keep him for another year. But if he doesn't, then we sit down and I say, ‘Mate, it's not right for Gloucester'."

Players' union boss Damian Hopley has denied a report that the England squad were refusing to co-operate with the review into their campaign. Hopley said all the players wanted to get the inquiry completed as soon as possible. "To say the report is inaccurate is putting it mildly," he said.

A questionnaire has been sent to all 30 World Cup players.