England vice-captain Jamie George doubtful for Six Nations after suffering hamstring injury for Saracens

Jamie George limped off with a hamstring problem late in Saracens’ 32-24 Champions Cup defeat by Castres that made him a Six Nations doubt to compound a miserable week for the England hooker.

Replaced as England captain by club team-mate Maro Itoje when Steve Borthwick named his Six Nations squad on Tuesday, he then suffered an injury at StoneX Stadium that places his involvement against Ireland on February 1 in question.

George came on for two-try front row Theo Dan in the 55th minute but was forced off in the closing stages with Saracens unable to indicate the extent of the damage.

“Jamie has hurt his hamstring. We’re not quite sure how serious that hamstring is at the moment,” director of rugby Mark McCall said.

George’s late withdrawal and a serious knee injury sustained by Toby Knight added to a frustrating afternoon in north London, where Castres finally won after 21 successive away defeats in the Champions Cup.

The defeat was damaging for Saracens, as they passed up a home round of 16 tie in defeat and must now travel to face Toulon.

“It was a really poor performance by us. Castres thoroughly deserved to win the game and we got what we deserved as well, which is a hard thing to say,” McCall said.

“Our mentality for some reason wasn’t quite right and that’s on me and the coaches. It was a really disappointing day. Castres definitely outenthused us. They were really up for the game.

“We had plenty of the ball but we were poor with it and they defended against us comfortably. Then they struck when the opportunities arose for them. It was such a disappointing day.

“All 15 of the players they brought in had played in the last five weeks, just not together.

“It wasn’t a pack of kids, they were proper rugby players and we did try to communicate that to the team. We just weren’t quite there mentally.”

Scotland captain Tuipulotu also a Six Nations doubt with pectoral injury

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is facing a pre-Six Nations sweat too after key duo Sione Tuipulotu and Scott Cummings emerged as injury concerns ahead of the championship.

There is particular worry around the fitness of captain Tuipulotu, who has suffered a pectoral injury, with Glasgow head coach Franco Smith hinting that – but refusing to confirm – he fears a lengthy spell on the sidelines for the centre.

The 27-year-old played no part in Saturday’s Champions Cup defeat at Harlequins.

Asked for an update on Tuipulotu immediately after the game, Smith said: “He had an assessment. I don’t know the extent of it yet.

“I think he might have injured his pec. It was a freakish injury. It was just something that happened. We weren’t suspicious about it, we just wanted to make sure it was nothing serious. But we will have more clarity tomorrow.”

Asked how much of a blow it would be if Tuipulotu – widely expected to be part of the British and Irish Lions squad this summer – was to miss any or all of the championship, Smith said little to douse concern that the influential back is facing a period on the sidelines.

“It is not just the player but as a person and a player in our environment, he brings a lot of confidence to the people around him,” he said.

“So, I think it will be for everyone a loss if it is that serious, but I can still think that there is enough of the season for him still to contribute, so I hope that it is not such a serious injury that it will be particularly long.

“He will go into the Scotland camp and be managed by their medical team as well, so as a collective all the communication will be done once we have clarity on what the outcome is.

“I’m just going to say that I don’t know currently, let’s see what the result says.”