England may be forced to field a rookie back row with a combined total of just four Test match starts against one of the most experienced units in world rugby after Tom Wood became the latest injury worry to hit Eddie Jones’s squad ahead of their Six Nations showdown against Wales on Saturday.

Jack Clifford, the Harlequins flanker, is poised to start ahead of Wood after the Northampton man missed both training sessions at Pennyhill Park on Tuesday.

The fresh injury comes as Jones is expected to make another change to his starting XV, with Exeter’s Jack Nowell expected to replace Jonny May on the right wing.

Nowell has been in fine form for his club since returning from a thigh injury in December and made a significant impact from the bench during England’s push for victory against France last Saturday.

Nathan Hughes, the Wasps No 8, was also rested from the second session to manage his workload with concerns about a knee injury but he is expected to be fit for the trip to the Principality Stadium. Teimana Harrison, who covered for Hughes on Tuesday afternoon, was not retained in the 24-man squad named on Tuesday night.