ENGLAND - England captain Steve Borthwick is likely to be out for a month after a kick to the face from Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam left him with "extreme swelling" around his right eye.

ENGLAND - England captain Steve Borthwick is likely to be out for a month after a kick to the face from Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam left him with "extreme swelling" around his right eye.

Borthwick was admitted to hospital on Sunday and further tests were done yesterday to assess his injury.

Borthwick is set to be out of action for between two and four weeks, but any longer than that and he could be in doubt for England's international against Australia on November 7.

Saracens medics had no concerns over Borthwick's sight but he required five stitches after the incident early in Saracens' 19-16 victory. Azam insisted that any contact had been accidental, but Saracens head coach Mark McCall said: "We are concerned at the way it occurred and it would appear it may have been a deliberate act of foul play." - Sapa-AFP