While skipper Phil Vickery and fly-half Jonny Wilkinson both failed to last the distance during another punishing round of Premiership action - and varying problems surrounded Andy Farrell, David Strettle, Magnus Lund and Steve Borthwick - Robinson was given only a 50-50 chance of recovering in time from neck trouble.

The Sale Sharks wing sat out his teams 22-9 league loss to Saracens, having missed Englands record 43-13 Six Nations reversal against Ireland.

Sharks boss Philippe Saint-Andre is not optimistic about Robinsons immediate prospects, although he believes team-mate Lund will be fit after a bout of concussion.

England head coach Brian Ashton will run the rule over his injured brigade on Monday , with centre Farrell (back spasm), wing Strettle (leg) and lock Borthwick (rib) all on the agenda for fitness checks.

And there will be specific attention concentrated on Vickery and Wilkinson as England target a victory next Sunday that would keep alive their RBS 6 Nations title hopes.

Vickery was helped off after taking a heavy blow - believed to be a punch - during Wasps 28-0 victory over Bristol, while Wilkinson limped away during the closing minutes of Newcastles 38-12 defeat at London Irish, although Falcons initial diagnosis suggested cramp.

Vickery received four minutes treatment on the pitch, and Wasps rugby director Ian McGeechan said: He took a heavy blow, so we got the message on the field to get him off.

I didnt want to mess around, as there had been heavy contact. Hes fine now. The doctor is having a look at him and we will speak to England - it was just a heavy blow he took.

Wasps flankers Joe Worsley and Tom Rees, both named in Ashtons 28-man training squad, joined Vickery in suffering facial knocks.

Worsley took a bang on the nose and Rees has a swelling on his cheek, but McGeechan confirmed that both will be fit for training.

Farrell, meanwhile, missed Saracens game against Sale, but Saracens rugby director Alan Gaffney said: Hes fine. He spent quite a bit of time in his car on Friday, which is not the best thing for him.

He looked a bit stiff, trained fine, but probably stayed out too long - 30 or 40 minutes - kicking.

I am not trying to be magnanimous or Mr Nice Guy. He could have played, but if he was not totally fit we were not going to play him. Nobody applied any pressure on me.