Sam Simmonds ruled out of autumn internationals and Six Nations and in race to be fit for Rugby World Cup

The Exeter Chiefs forward will miss between six and nine months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament last weekend that could see him ruled out for the rest of the season

Sam Simmonds could miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury (PA)

Sam Simmonds will miss England's entire Six Nations campaign next year after being ruled out for at least six months with a serious knee injury that leaves him in a race to prove his fitness for the Rugby World Cup 2019.

The in-form Exeter Chiefs No 8 ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in last week’s Premiership victory over Worcester Warriors, and director of rugby Rob Baxter confirmed on Wednesday that the 23-year-old will miss all four of England’s autumn internationals next months as well as the Six Nations championship that takes place next February and March.

“If the operation and rehab goes really well we’d like to hope we can maybe see him before the end of the season but it’s going to be touch and go,” Baxter said. “It’s hard to absorb because Simmo has been a key momentum gainer for us. Obviously he is upset. He was looking forward to having a big season.”

Simmonds has been in impressive form this season after enjoying a phenomenal breakthrough campaign in 2017/18, and had scored five tries already this season to help Exeter to victory in all five of their Premiership matches, leaving them second behind leaders Saracens.

There are fears that Simmonds could be out of action for up to nine months, which would see him return next summer after the conclusion of the domestic season and leaving him just the four Rugby World Cup warm-up matches to prove his fitness to head coach Eddie Jones.

Simmonds has scored five tries in as many matches this season for Exeter (Reuters)

But with the World Cup due to begin on 20 September, there is still enough time for the Torquay-born back-row to force his way back into the international reckoning, and Baxter believes that is the one silver-lining in that he will return refreshed and ready for the World Cup where some of his England teammates may not be.

“The other guys are going to be playing and are more likely to be picking up injuries than Sam,” Baxter added. “Two or three of them might go down yet. He may well find that, if he manages to get a big month in with us before the end of the season, he could look like the guy who is absolutely flying.”

The news is still a big blow for England ahead of their November games with South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia, having seen prop Joe Marler rule himself unavailable last week after announcing his international retirement in order to spend more time with his family.

Simmonds’ absence leaves Jones with Saracens’ Billy Vunipola, Wasps’ Nathan Hughes and Bath youngster Zach Mercer as his options at No 8, and he is due to announce his squad for the autumn internationals on Thursday 18 October ahead of a week-long training camp in Portugal that will see the squad fly back home on 1 November – just two days before they face the Springboks.

There was further bad news for Exeter on Wednesday as influential lock Jonny Hill was ruled out for four months after suffering a finger ligament injury in the same match.