KEY POINTS:
VERSAILLES - England centre Jamie Noon has been ruled out of the remainder of the Rugby World Cup with a knee injury, team doctor Simon Kemp announced at the squad's hotel on Sunday.
Noon sustained the injury during the defending champions' 36-0 defeat against South Africa on Saturday (NZ time).
"Jamie Noon sustained a grade two strain to the medial collateral ligament on his left knee, the ligament on the inside of the knee," Kemp said.
"That diagnosis was confirmed by a scan yesterday (Saturday) afternoon and he will not be able to take any further part in the tournament.
"Arrangements are in place for him to return to Newcastle (Noon's club side) for ongoing rehabilitation. It's likely he will return on Monday."
Kemp added that fullback Jason Robinson, who sustained a left hamstring injury during the same match, would be remaining with the squad.
Robinson, England's best player against the Springboks, was launching a rare England attack when he pulled up sharply just before the hour mark.
It looked as if the 33-year-old ex-England captain, who has already announced his intention to retire from international rugby after the World Cup, was going to suffer an injury-induced end to his Test career.
But Kemp said of Robinson: "Although he pulled up pretty dramatically during the game, actually his function 36 hours after the game, the location of the strain and the size of the strain lead us to believe that he has every chance of being able to play a further part in the tournament.
"As a consequence of that, he will stay with us and we will continue to rehabilitate him."
Kemp wouldn't be drawn on whether Robinson would be fit to face Samoa in England's must-win Pool A match in Nantes on Sunday.
However, he was more definitive about the prospects of injured duo Jonny Wilkinson and Olly Barkley - both of whom missed the South Africa match with injuries - being available to play the Pacific Islanders.
"Jonny and Olly have continued to make very good progress from their ankle and hip abductor injuries respectively and we've always anticipated they would be available for selection for this (coming) weekend.
"Nothing's happened over the last few days to change that view."
An England spokesman added no decision had yet been taken on who would replace 28-year-old midfielder Noon.
Barkley, England's man-of-the-match during their lacklustre 28-10 opening Pool win against the United States in Lens on September 8, subsequently injured himself in training.
Wilkinson has yet to play in this tournament after suffering a right ankle ligament sprain during a training session in the lead-up to the US match.
England are due to announce their team to play Samoa on Tuesday.
- AFP
