England Red Roses star centre Megan Jones has been ruled out of the September internationals and the WXV 1 tournament.
Jones has had to withdraw from the fixtures due to a significant ankle injury, which will require surgery.
“It's always upsetting when you lose a teammate to injury, especially someone with Meg's personality, capability and leadership," England Red Roses coach John Mitchell said in a statement.
“When you lose a player of Meg's ability, it presents the chance for someone else to step up and seize the opportunity.
“We wish Meg well for her recovery and look forward to having her back in the squad ahead of next year's Six Nations.”
Jones' absence will be felt when England takes on France in their first fixture on September 7 before facing New Zealand a week later.