England call up Joe Launchbury as Lewis Ludlam ruled out of Italy clash

Veteran second row Launchbury has been called into the squad as cover after overcoming a knee injury

Lewis Ludlam has been ruled out of England’s clash with Italy (PA Archive)

England flanker Lewis Ludlam has been ruled out of Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations match against Italy by rib cartilage damage.

Head coach Eddie Jones expects Ludlam to recover in time for the visit of Wales to Twickenham on February 26 after sustaining the injury in the Calcutta Cup defeat by Scotland on Saturday.

Veteran second row Joe Launchbury has been called into the squad as cover after overcoming a knee injury.

“He is a good test lock,” Jones saud on Tuesday. “He’s an outstanding mauler and is a guy who is tough on the one-pass play around the ruck. He brings a lot of experience and at the moment that is not something we have got a lot of.”

Jones says his side have moved on from Saturday’s 20-17 defeat at Murrayfield having felt the players left at least 15 points on the field through poor execution on attack.

“We’ve drawn a line under that. Our aim is to make sure we light up Rome this week with a good, energetic performance,” he said.

“We need to be tidier in our execution, we weren’t great in that area. And that comes from hard work and good practice.

“We need to make sure our alignment coming back from the ball is correct. We need to get set quicker and to execute. But we can’t throw some water on it and it just comes like that.

“It comes through hard work, and I am sure we will be better against Italy.”