Saints and England lock Courtney Lawes out for 12 weeks with injury

Northampton Saints and England star Courtney Lawes faces being out of action for 12 weeks after suffering a pectoral injury.

The 32 year old forward, who has won 87 caps, was hurt during England training last week.

His Saints team-mate David Ribbans has been called into England's Guinness Six Nations squad to bolster second-row resources ahead of their remaining games against France and Ireland.

Northampton said that Lawes will undergo surgery and he faces an approximate 12-week recovery period.

That would sideline him until late May or early June, meaning he will miss the majority of Saints' remaining Gallagher Premiership fixtures.

It was not yet clear if this break would affect his British and Irish Lions squad selection chances to face South Africa this summer.