Chris Robshaw set to return for England's Six Nations campaign as James Haskell waits to discover his fate

The former England captain will be fit in time for his side's Six Nations opener against Italy on 4 February after recently suffering from a back spasm

Chris Robshaw is also expected to feature in Harlequin's clash against La Rochelle this weekend (Getty)

James Haskell faces an anxious wait to hear his disciplinary fate ahead of the Six Nations but there is better news for another England back row star with Harlequins confirming Chris Robshaw will be fit for next month’s tournament.

With injury-plagued Saracens No 8 Billy Vunipola also a major doubt after he fractured his forearm in Saracens’ Saturday night draw with Ospreys, and Wasps star Nathan Hughes also side-lined, Eddie Jones could do with some positive news as his back-row resources begin to look stretched ahead of England’s opening encounter with Italy on 4 February.

He got it in the shape of Robshaw, who did not feature in Quins’ extraordinary late comeback on Saturday which almost certainly robbed Wasps of any hope of qualifying for the knock-out stages, but looks likely to return against La Rochelle this weekend.

Quins reported the former England captain and mainstay of Jones’s back row on the blindside flank had picked up a “minor knock” in training last week which director of rugby John Kingston confirmed was a back spasm which anti-inflammatory tablets failed to settle in time for Saturday’s game.

But with Haskell now unlikely to face Italy or Wales as a ban looms for the moment of madness which left Quins centre Jamie Roberts prone on the ground following a high and late hit in the 76th minute, and Vunipola also a doubt, Kingston insisted Robshaw is not a long-term concern.

Kingston said: “Chris did some extras, typical him, in training on Thursday and reported a very stiff back, almost a spasm, on guess who? Joe Marler.

“He came in on Friday and it was going to go one of two ways because he took some anti-inflammatory tablets on Thursday night. He came in on Friday stiff.

“I’d have thought there’ll be a reasonable chance of him playing against La Rochelle but if you’re talking Six Nations there’ll be no issue with that. None at all.”

Robshaw’s imminent return to fitness will be a welcome boost for Quins and England with the national team looking to claim an historic third Six Nations title in succession when they kick off their campaign next month while his club look to resurrect a season severely hit by injury, disciplinary problems and inconsistent form.

Eddie Jones can expect to have Chris Robshaw fit for England’s Six Nations campaign (Getty)

In Marcus Smith they have a young playmaker capable of sparking any backline and the 18-year-old fly half celebrated signing a five-year-deal, which last week saw him become the highest paid teenager in professional rugby, with a superb cameo off the bench.

Smith’s masterful 20-minute substitute’s appearance, when he replaced England full back Mike Brown after he was removed with an eye injury which saw him taken to hospital for “precautionary checks”, coincided with Quins’ astonishing fightback from 28-12.

James Chisholm’s last-minute try, following scores from Danny Care and Elia Elia, earned understrength Quins one of the most unlikely comeback wins in the tournament’s history.

But while the victory was welcomed by Quins fans as a potential catalyst to greater things in the Aviva Premiership, a competition in which they currently lie ninth, it could do nothing to reinvigorate a European campaign which was dead in the water before this game kicked off.

It also looks certain to have ended Wasps hopes of progressing as Dai Young’s men now need a bonus-point win against Ulster and a mathematical miracle elsewhere to emerge to fight another day.

On Saturday’s evidence, which saw them take a 21-0 lead after 31 minutes only to go into meltdown in the second half – with Haskell’s 76th minute brain-freeze perfectly illustrating their lack of clarity – they are still well short of being serious European contenders.

Marcus Smith has signed a new contract with Harlequins worth £230,000-a-season (Getty)

Director of rugby Young, who optimistically speculated Haskell could be banned for “a couple of weeks”, was brutally honest in his assessment of his team’s defensive failures.

“I think it’s (Europe) over for us now,” he said. “I said we had to win both of these last two games and probably needed nine points. Two points here isn’t enough.

“We’ll want to win against Ulster and if a miracle happens then happy days, but miracles don’t tend to happen too much in Coventry.

“We got what we deserved. Five or six guys showed a real lack of appetite to defend. Teams are scoring points against us far too easily.”

Haskell will find out his disciplinary destiny this week. A ban is inevitable despite a lack of intent and immediate display of regret. How long he will get is the question. Six weeks would rule him out of England’s opening games against Italy, Wales and Scotland.

For Wasps, the soul searching will last a good deal longer.