The Bristol Bears and England centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg has been ruled out of the Nations Championship Tests in November and faces a period out of the game as he recovers from two concussions in his last three games.

Janse van Rensburg was knocked out playing for Bristol against Northampton in the Gallagher Prem earlier this month having had his second international cap similarly curtailed by a head injury against Argentina in July.

Steve Borthwick, the England head coach, has confirmed that the centre will not feature in games against Australia, Japan and New Zealand over the next few weeks, though he is “hopeful” that Fin Smith will be fit for the opening clash with the Wallabies.

Northampton fly half Smith has not trained this week with a calf injury and faces a race to be fit for next Sunday’s game. The Bath flanker Guy Pepper will miss November, though, with an ankle problem that does not require surgery, and club colleague Kepu Tuipulotu requires further assessment on a bang to the leg in training.

The standing down of Janse van Rensburg comes as a blow to a player handed his debut against Fiji during the first leg of the Nations Championship having becoming eligible after a five-year residency period in England.

In better midfield news for Borthwick, Seb Atkinson is likely to feature for Gloucester this weekend, while Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is may also play for Exeter in this round of Prem fixtures.

Of Janse van Rensburg, Borthwick explained: “He’s had a specialist's opinion and has been advised to take a number of weeks of non-contact work before reintroduction to rugby over the coming weeks.”

Smith has been unable to train having played much of Northampton’s derby defeat to Leicester carrying the calf issue. He will be given as long as possible to prove his fitness, though Borthwick has confidence in his alternative fly half options.

“He's made positive progress these past couple of days. Typically, I would name the team for the Sunday game on around the Wednesday, so that would still be my aim, to try and name the team around that point in time, but I'll be assessing that right at the start of the week.

“But all the news we've got so far is very positive and if Fin’s not available for selection, we have some quality fly halves in George Ford and Marcus Smith available also. So, we're in a positive position now.”

Borthwick’s squad will reassemble after the weekend to begin their preparations for the Australia clash on Sunday 8 November.