Tuesday 17 June 2014 20:43, UK
St Helens full-back Jonny Lomax has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Lomax limped off during the second half of Saturday's 42-0 defeat by Catalan Dragons in Perpignan and has been told he needs an operation.
That will remove any chance the 23-year-old had of making England's end-of-season tour down under for the Four Nations Series.
He was included in England coach Steve McNamara's 34-man squad for a mid-season training camp in Loughborough at the weekend, which he was forced to miss.
Saints coach Nathan Brown said: "This is obviously a blow to the team but more importantly to Jonny. He has been in great form and has settled well into the full-back position.
"He will now begin his road to recovery led by our medical staff and we wish him well.
"Jonny has a strong character and we're sure he will come back and prove once again to be a pivotal player for us."
Lomax, who inherited the number one jersey from Paul Wellens at the start of the season, was making his first appearance since recovering from a minor knee injury which forced him to miss Saints' recent wins over Huddersfield and Salford.
Wellens, who has started matches at loose forward and in both half-back spots so far this season, is set to revert to his old full-back role for St Helens' home game against Castleford on Sunday.