England lock Courtney Lawes will miss the entire Six Nations after scans showed he has damaged knee ligaments.

Lawes hurt his right knee in the first half of Saturday's English league match for Northampton against Leicester and is expected to be out of action for around three months.

Lawes has established himself as a pivotal member of England's pack after breaking into the team last year.

He was set to partner Stade Francais lock Tom Palmer in the second row in the Six Nations.

Veteran Wasps player Simon Shaw or Gloucester's Dave Attwood could now come into the side as Lawes' replacement.

England manager Martin Johnson will name his 32-man squad on Wednesday.

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