Jonathan Joseph also ruled out of November internationals
Wednesday 15 August 2018 09:32, UK
Bath have no clear time frame on when England international Anthony Watson could return to action after he re-tore his Achilles tendon.
His fellow Bath back Jonathan Joseph has also been ruled out of England's autumn internationals.
Watson suffered an initial Achilles injury playing for England against Ireland in the final game of last season's Six Nations Championship.
Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder admitted it is a "start again injury" as the countdown continues towards the start of the new season.
"The initial surgery did not quite take, and he has re-torn it," Blackadder said. "It is a start again injury, so we honestly don't know what the timeline is.
"It could come down to weeks or months, but it could be later in the season, we just don't know."
Watson, 24, has won 33 England caps and scored 15 tries for his country.
The prognosis from his first Achilles injury was a six-month absence, so the latest setback suggests he might struggle to play again this year.
Joseph, meanwhile, injured his ankle in a loss to Saracens in April and subsequently underwent surgery.
He was expected to be out for six months but is now scheduled to return towards the end of the year.
Blackadder said: "JJ is still on track.
"He'll be somewhere around Christmas time, it's hard to put a timeline on these things."
England kick off their autumn Test schedule against South Africa on November 3, while world champions New Zealand, Japan and Australia follow on successive Saturdays.
The absence of the Bath pair will be a blow to head coach Eddie Jones, with the World Cup in Japan just over a year away.
