England flanker James Haskell may yet be available for next week's Six Nations opener against Wales after a knee injury he sustained on club duty appeared not to be as severe as first feared.
Haskell, who plays for Paris-based Stade Francais, suffered a knee injury during the French club's 9-7 European Cup loss away to Edinburgh on Saturday.
However, a Rugby Football Union (RFU) statement Tuesday said a scan on the 22-times capped Haskell had not shown any structural damage and that he would resume light training in the next 36 hours.
England's SixNations squad are currently in Portugal for a week of warm weather training ahead of the tournament.
Two players left the squad Tuesday with uncapped wing Chris Ashton, the leading try scorer in the Premiership this season, given clearance to play for Northampton in their Anglo-Welsh Cup tie against Sale on Friday before returning to the England set-up.
