'Slater out for the season'

09 September 2014The Leicester captain is expected to miss the entire 2014/15 campaign after undergoing knee surgery, boss Richard Cockerill has announced.

The 26-year-old tore his anterior cruciate ligament while captaining England's midweek side to a 38-7 victory over the Crusaders during June's New Zealand tour.

Slater could regain full fitness just six weeks before England launch their bid for World Cup glory on home soil, by hosting Fiji at Twickenham on September 18, 2015.

"It's horrific for Ed in many ways," said Cockerill.

"He has been in the England squad and just…