(Reuters) - Bath's Director of Rugby Stuart Hooper has said the Premiership club were given "limited information" by England about Joe Cokanasiga during the World Cup after the winger returned from the tournament with a serious knee injury.
Cokanasiga started one game for England in Japan, scoring two tries in their 45-7 pool stage win over the United States. Reports in British media have said the 22-year-old could be out for at least four months.
"Ultimately, Joe has come back to us unable to train," Hooper told reporters after Bath's 15-9 Champions Cup defeat by Harlequins on Saturday.
"If people get injured, that happens. But we need to make sure that we are aware of everything that is happening so that when we do get them get back, we've got a decent plan moving forward."
Hooper also took aim at a perceived lack of communication from England's Rugby Football Union about how serious the injury was but the RFU has defended its treatment of the player.
"We are in ongoing conversations with Bath Rugby about Joe's injury," an RFU spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.
"The welfare of England players is paramount to us and our world-class medical team will always act in their best interests."
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)