KINGSCLERE’S Tom Croft faces a race against time to be fit for the World Cup after he dislocated his shoulder in a game for Leicester Tigers against Newcastle.

The England flanker has had surgery on the injury and is set to be out of action for between four to six months.

England’s opening game in the World Cup is on September 18 against Fiji, which is almost six months away.

If his recovery is four months he will hope to be part of England’s training camp in America in early July.

The 29-year-old had only just returned in mid December after an operation on his knee and looked set to start for England against Scotland in the Six Nations until his latest injury ruled him out.

Croft has been hit by a number of injuries in recent years and suffered a broken neck in 2012 as well as missing most of last season with a knee injury.