Saints suffer big Lawes injury blow as lock gets set for ankle surgery
Saints have confirmed that Courtney Lawes will undergo surgery on the ankle injury he sustained against Sale Sharks last week.
And the England lock will require a period of three months to rehabilitate.
Lawes was forced off after just eight minutes of last week's Gallagher Premiership fixture at Franklin's Gardens.
He was sent for a scan and to see a specialist, with Lawes deemed to need an operation.
And on Wednesday afternoon, Saints released this statement: "Northampton Saints can confirm that, following consultation between the club's medical staff and a specialist, Courtney Lawes will undergo surgery on the ankle injury he sustained against Sale Sharks last week.
"The 31-year-old England lock will require a rehabilitation period of approximately 12 weeks."
That means Lawes will not be able to play again during 2020, missing Saints' start to the Premiership and Champions Cup campaigns as well as England's autumn schedule.