Joe Launchbury relieved to be back in business

All being well, Joe Launchbury, the Wasps and England lock, will be back and as good as ever for his club on Saturday against Leicester Tigers.

He has been out for seven months, further evidence that no matter how big and strong the modern rugby player, they have no more backbone than the rest of us.

David Wilson, the Bath prop, ditto.

So too Tom Johnson, the Exeter Chiefs flanker, and Dan Cole, the Leicester prop.

That is four England players in a year, all circumstantial evidence that the human spine can only take so much rugby.

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