St Helens hooker James Roby is facing more time out with a new ankle problem, giving England coach Steve McNamara another concern ahead of the World Cup.
Having recently returned from a 10-week absence, the 27-year-old damaged his other ankle in a win at Castleford.
And it is feared Roby could be missing for the majority of the season. Saints coach Nathan Brown told BBC Radio Merseyside: “It’s not looking good. They think it’s the same injury on his other foot.”
England play Australia in their first World Cup match on 26 October and if Roby were to be ruled out for a similar period of time as his initial injury, it would leave him with little over a month to prove his fitness.
Stand-off Gareth Widdop is already a doubt for the tournament after dislocating his hip while playing for Melbourne Storm in June, and captain Kevin Sinfield is currently out of action with a broken thumb.
State of Mind would like to wish James all the very best for a speedy recovery and a successful testimonial for the fantastic service he has provided to the Saints club