England powerhouse Manu Tuilagi is facing an uphill battle to be fit to face the Wallabies in December after being ruled out for another "six to eight weeks" with a groin problem.
Tuilagi has been plagued by injury problems for the past two years but made his comeback in Leicester's first game of the season against Gloucester.
However the 25-year-old centre has not played since and the team's director of rugby Richard Cockerill revealed says it could be mid-November before he returns.
England take on South Africa at Twickenham on November 12 and are scheduled to play another three Tests against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.
"He has still got a tight groin. We are hoping he will be back on the field within six-to-eight weeks," Cockerill said.
"It's tough, tough for everyone. We will support him, and he's working hard.
"When we get to six-to-eight weeks, we will see. It might be another three.
"He is a world-class player. He doesn't want to be injured, we don't want him to be injured. We want him on the field.
"His groin is not right, and we are going to get it right. When it's right he will play. At the moment we are hoping it will be six to eight weeks - if it's not, it's not.
"He is running and it's nowhere as severe as it was. It's tight, and we want to get rid of that."
Leicester did not miss Tuilagi on Sunday as they ended Bath's 100 per cent record with a 34-14 home win.
