CHRISTIAN Wade is beginning the long road to recovery after surgery on Tuesday.

He suffered a devastating injury blow that is likely to rule him out of the rest of the season, after damaging ligaments in his foot in Wasps’ win over London Irish on Saturday.

It’s a cruel blow for the 22-year-old winger, who was ruled out of home internationals against Argentina and New Zealand last month with a hamstring strain, and had been tipped to feature heavily for England during the Six Nations.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: “It is devastating news for both the player and the club.

“Christian was hugely unlucky to miss out on being capped this autumn with England and he had hoped to push on and put in some good performances for Wasps to get him in contention for Six Nations selection.

“It is a huge blow for him but he is a young player with a huge future and his time will come around again.”

Wade’s untimely injury exacerbates Wasps’ injury woes in the backs.

Hugo Southwell hasn’t played at all this season, Tom Varndell and Andrea Masi have both been sidelined since the first few weeks of the campaign and Elliot Daly has also spent substantial spells on the treatment table.

In terms of an England career though, Wade does at least have plenty of time on his side, but his ill-fortune this autumn recalls the wretched luck that dogged another former RGS High Wycombe pupil.

Tom Rees captained England U21s in 2005 but didn’t make his full international breakthrough until 2007 as he lurched from injury to injury.

He eventually went on to play 15 times for his country in the next 18 months, and was ear-marked as a future long term captain of England.

However, injuries were never far away after finally winning his battle with a persistent shoulder problem a ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligament ended his career last March, aged just 27.

With better luck, RGS High Wycombe could have had three former pupils competing in the Six Nations after Tommaso Allan made a try-scoring debut for Italy against Argentina in November.

Director of sport at the school said: “It’s not by luck and we’re very proud of what we achieve.

“But it’s a real blow for Christian. He was fantastic last year and did so well with his call up for The Lions.

“But he’s a fantastic athlete and he’s still so young. You forget how young he is.”