ENGLAND have been robbed of their entire first-choice front row for the autumn after Phil Vickery was yesterday ruled out with a neck injury.

Vickery will miss the Twickenham appointments with Australia, Argentina and New Zealand after it was revealed he requires surgery that will entail a minimum three months of rehabilitation.

The length of his absence also places his participation in the opening RBS 6 Nations fixture against Wales on February 6 in grave doubt.

It is a major blow to England manager Martin Johnson who discovered on Monday Andrew Sheridan will be sidelined for four months with a dislocated shoulder, forcing him to miss the start of the Six Nations.

With hooker Lee Mears already ruled out through knee ligament damage, England's all-Lions front row has been decimated less than three weeks before their autumn series begins.

Vickery incurred the damage during Wasps' 18-13 Amlin Challenge Cup victory over Racing Metro on October 11.

In a statement, Wasps said: "Due to an exacerbation of neck pain suffered during the game, Phil Vickery has been closely monitored over the last week by the club's medical team.

"It was deemed necessary that Phil should be reviewed further by a consultant neurosurgeon.

"Subsequently a collective decision by Phil, the consultant, Wasps' medical team and England has been made this week to progress with surgery to his neck.

"This will entail a rehab period in excess of three months.’’ England will be cursing their luck at losing all three front rows so close to a series of fixtures Twickenham's director of elite rugby Rob Andrew declared would provide the first genuine opportunity to gauge the team's progress under Johnson.

Adding to the acute frustration will be the knowledge New Zealand, who struggled during the recent Tri-Nations, appear as weak as at any time in recent memory.

To address their shortcomings, senior All Blacks even requested their coaching team of Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen swap roles in a bizarre attempt to invigorate a coaching line-up that has grown stale during six years together. The request was accepted.

Australia were inconsistent during the Tri-Nations and are in a transitional phase, but even their vulnerable front row will have little fear locking horns with England now. Expert scrummagers Argentina will be licking their lips.

Vickery, England's World Cup captain in France two years ago, made a successful recovery from neck and back injuries earlier in his career.

But the 33-year-old, who has won 73 England caps and made five Test match appearances for the Lions, now faces another long road back to fitness.

Johnson has just three fit props - Tim Payne, Julian White and David Wilson - in his senior elite squad, while England Saxons props Matt Mullan and Dan Cole are also injured.

Johnson is due to name a revised elite squad next Monday, and there could be promotion from the Saxons group for players like Gloucester loosehead Nick Wood and Saracens prospect Tom Mercey.

The loss of Vickery is just the latest in a succession of injury blows to hit England prior to the autumn Tests.

Full-back Delon Armitage, centre Riki Flutey and flanker Tom Rees had already been ruled out of next month's action, before Mears, Sheridan and Vickery joined the casualty list.

England tackle Australia at Twickenham on November 7, before facing Argentina seven days later and then New Zealand.