England have been dealt a shattering injury blow with the news that No 8 Billy Vunipola is set to miss the 2017 Six Nations after having knee surgery.

The 24-year-old powerhouse tore his cartilage during Saturday's victory over Argentina and has been ruled out for at least three months.

Vunipola posted a photograph from his hospital room on Instagram, saying: 'When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade right?? Vodka Lemonade anyone haha #godhasaplanforme.'

Billy Vunipola is helped off the pitch at Twickenham by England team doctor Nigel Jones

The England star looks set to miss the entirety of the Six Nations due to knee surgery

Nathan Hughes is favourite to step into the back row as England bid to make it 14 successive wins against Australia at Twickenham on Satuday. Jack Clifford of Harlequins has also been recalled to challenge for the No 8 spot.

England coach Eddie Jones, who recently tipped the Saracens star to become the 'best No 8 in the world', said: 'Billy's been absolutely fantastic for England over the last 11 months and we wish him a quick recovery. He's a very influential player in the set-up and there's no doubt he'll be missed for the game against Australia.

'But where there is an injury there's an opportunity for someone else. We've had five or six front line players missing throughout the series so I've no doubt we'll adapt and work that little bit harder this week. I'm sure the players will respond to this by going up a level and peak for this game.'

Both Hughes and Clifford must pass fitness tests early this week, with the latter needing a head injury assessment during his man-of-the-match return against Bath yesterday.

England are also monitoring the fitness of full back Mike Brown.

Until the shattering Vunipola news, Jones had been busy aiming barbs at Australia ahead of Saturday's clash. Shifting the focus from Elliot Daly's fifth-minute red card against Argentina, the pot-stirring England coach fired accusations of 'disrespect' at his countrymen and called for a meeting between staff and officials.

The 24-year-old tore his cartilage during Saturday's victory over Argentina

Vunipola gave two thumbs up as he posted a picture to Instagram from his surgery room

'I am very keen to have a chat to the referee about the Australian scrummaging,' said Jones. 'They have got some issues so we need to have a meeting with the referee and we will invite the Australian coaching staff to come along. We will submit an agenda.'

Sitting to his left in a Twickenham conference room, Neal Hatley, England's scrum coach, flashed a telling smile as his boss took matters into his own hands. Confidence is rightly high ahead of the Wallabies showdown, when England can claim their 14th straight victory and equal the run of Sir Clive Woodward's side in 2002-2003.

England's 3-0 summer whitewash of Australia is still fresh in the memory but Jones played down its significance in a bid to ensure feet remain on the ground.

'I saw an interesting press conference with the Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, who was talking about playing Burnley,' said Jones.

'Last time Man City played Burnley they beat them 4-0. He made the point — and it's so true — that when you get beaten by a big score the attention you put on the next game against that opposition is more intense.

Jonny May goes over the try line during England's 27-14 win over Argentina

'This Australian side is the most improved side in world rugby. It's a one-off game against Australia — the 3-0 series win has nothing to do with it. Australia's will to win is going to be enormously high. Tactically we'll beat them but we've got to have a greater will to win than them. We've got to raise our efforts from this week.'

The 14 men of England certainly needed to fight against Argentina, after Daly became their first player to be sent off since 2005.

England were forced into a desperate rearguard action to extinguish Argentina, with props Dan Cole and Joe Marler also shown yellow cards.

The loss of Billy Vunipola in the 39th minute did not help and when the Pumas went for a scrumathon on England's line with the clock on red, first Cole went to the sin bin for collapsing the set-piece, then Facundo Isa wriggled over to cut England's lead to 16-7.

That became 16-14 two minutes after the restart when Santiago Cordero scored from a break that began in the Argentina 22.

But England held until Cole's return, Owen Farrell kicked two more penalties and Jonny May stretched his legs for a try to ensure England remain cock of the Twickenham walk this autumn.

Defence coach Paul Gustard heaped praise on England's resolve to hang onto the win

Defence coach Paul Gustard took much credit and comparisons were drawn with Wellington 2003, when Woodward's England beat New Zealand with 13 men.

'We were down to 13 men for large patches but we took 27 spilt balls or turnovers off these guys, which was incredible,' said Gustard.

'The stats say two tries against us but do you walk in the changing room and say, 'Christ, we conceded two tries?' No, you say, 'Lads, unbelievable, how proud I am to be associated with you'.'

Jones played down Daly's mid-air tackle on Leonardo Senatore as an error of judgment. The red card galvanised England against the Pumas, who also had two yellow cards and saw replacement Enrique Pieretto sent off in the 76th minute for stamping on Marler's head.

'Elliot has to bounce back,' said Jones. 'What else is he going to do? Sit in the corner, feel sorry for himself and never play rugby again?