Three of England’s biggest stars are expected to return to club action in the next fortnight ahead of the next round of European Champions Cup action after missing the autumn series through injury.

Manu Tuilagi (groin), Maro Itoje (broken hand) and George Kruis (ankle) are all in line for club comebacks after suffering injuries earlier in the season as England’s build up to the autumn was badly disrupted.

Saracens lock Kruis could return as early as next Saturday against Gloucester after undergoing ankle surgery last month, giving him an outside chance of featuring in England’s final autumn fixture against Australia at Twickenham.

Maro Itoje is poised to return from a broken hand with Saracens in the coming weeks

Itoje's Saracens and England team-mate George Kruis is also close to a fitness return

Tuilagi, who has suffered from the debilitating ‘Gilmore’s groin’ condition for more than two years, made just one appearance for Leicester Tigers earlier this season before being side-lined for another two months, is targeting a return against Northampton at Welford Road on December 3.

‘Manu has been back in training for the past two weeks and we are hoping that by the end of the month, he will be playing for us,’ said Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill.

Manu Tuilagi, the Leicester Tigers centre, has suffered with groin problems for two years

Saracens forward Itoje, named last Sunday as World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year, fractured a bone in his hand in October but Sportsmail understands he has made a better-than-expected recovery and is in line to return against Bath on the same weekend as Tuilagi.