Summary:
World Cup-bound England full-back Ben Foden faces a lengthy rehabilitation process after rupturing a knee ligament.

Full article:
England's Ben Foden will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, his club Northampton said on said on Tuesday, putting his World Cup hopes in jeopardy. The full-back, who has won 34 caps, but has not featured for England since the 2013 autumn internationals, ruptured his left anterior cruciate ligament in Sunday's European Champions Cup win over Ospreys. 'The 29-year-old will now undergo surgery with a view to rehabilitating for the start of the 2015/16 season,' Northampton said on their website (www.northamptonsaints.co.uk). Ben Foden (second left) is helped off the field for Northampton Saints against Ospreys on Sunday . The England full-back will miss the remainder of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament . Foden missed last year's Six Nations with a knee problem, and the 2012 autumn internationals after damaging his ankle. He faces a race against time to get fit for the World Cup, which begins in September. England centre Manu Tuilagi is a doubt for the Six Nations after saying his recovery from a groin injury was progressing slowly. 'It's slow but it's getting there. No one's really sure how long it's going to take,' he said on the BBC. 'When it first happened even the doctor said it would be six to eight weeks.' Foden (centre) tries to take on Ospreys defence during Northampton's European Rugby Champions Cup win .