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Pepper to miss England games and Carreras' season over
Guy Pepper in an England shirt
Image caption, Guy Pepper has won 15 Test caps for England

Bath flanker Guy Pepper has been ruled out of England's Nations Championship games next month and fly-half Santi Carreras will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

Pepper, 23, sustained an ankle injury in the second half of Bath's 23-5 defeat at rivals Gloucester on Friday.

He has started 10 of England's last 12 games but will not play against against Australia, Japan and New Zealand in November.

Carreras, 28, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the first half at Kingsholm and will play no part in Argentina's Nations Championship games.

Pepper was not named in England head coach Steve Borthwick's 36-player training squad on Sunday.

And Bath's head of rugby, Johann van Graan, said he had been fortunate not to suffer a more serious injury.

"The footage on that pitch was horrible, if you go and look at it," he said. "We're just lucky that he didn't break something or it was more significant.

"I don't know what it is with the openside for us – first it was Sam [Underhill], now it's Guy. But we'll see how he gets through the next number of weeks.

"Losing a player of that quality, [I'm] disappointed for him, Bath and also for his national ambitions."

Santi Carreras in blue, white and black Bath shirt with arms round support staff as he is helped off the field
Image caption, Santi Carreras was helped from the field in the defeat at Gloucester on Friday

Carreras faces a lengthy period of rehabilitation. His club season is over, and the news will also come as a major blow for Argentina.

"Obviously I'm very sad for him," van Graan said. "It's one of the most horrible injuries that players can get because of the time that they're out.

"Santi is one of our most important players and we'll look after him very well in the coming months."

But in a boost for Bath's full-back options, Will Muir, Henry Arundell and Tom de Glanville have all resumed team training.

Back row Thompson Cowan and prop Billy Sela will also return to training in the coming weeks, with Sam Underhill expected to follow in early December.

Jamie Bhatti continues to work towards a return in the New Year, but Dan du Preez remains unavailable for selection.

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