The extent of George Ford's injury suffered in the Gallagher Premiership final has been revealed. Only 23 minutes had elapsed when the fly-half went down clutching his right ankle, and after a few minutes of anguish with medics, reluctantly left the Twickenham Stadium pitch.
His replacement Freddie Burns landed a last-minute drop goal to defeat Saracens and claim Tigers an eleventh Premiership title.
By that point, Ford was pitchside on crutches wearing a protective boot. The 29-year-old was subsequently not selected in the England squad to tour Australia due to injury, as Ellis Genge, Joe Heyes, Ollie Chessum, Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet and Guy Porter completed the Tigers representation Down Under.
Overnight, the Daily Mail has reported that the injury Ford suffered was to his right achilles and could undergo surgery later this week, adding Ford 'now faces the prospect of a long lay-off'.