Dan Cole will miss England’s summer tour to New Zealand, but the British & Irish Lions prop is hoping a break can help him peak for next year’s World Cup.
Cole came off the bench in each of the Lions’ three clashes with Australia last year, as Warren Gatland’s side secured a first series win for 16 years.
He was one of three English props used in the series, as Mako Vunipola and Alex Corbisiero each impressed on the other side of the scrum.
Cole returned to England action in the autumn but the tighthead suffered a trapped nerve caused by a bulging disc in February.
David Wilson stepped into the fold and is expected to be England’s No.3 when they take on the All Blacks this summer, but Cole is hoping the extended break will do him some good.
"I'll have a summer at home which hopefully in the long-run won't be a bad thing,” he told ESPN scrum.
“You're upset to miss the tour and the chance to play for England but with the World Cup a year away, a summer at home with the chance to rest isn't a bad thing.
“Having been to a World Cup, you see the effect it has on people, but you can't be distracted by the goal. I need to get back fit and into the Leicester team and hopefully the England side.
"Under Stuart (Lancaster) it's not just about the rugby, it's also about the effect we have on the community. Winning and being a positive influence through rugby is what people follow."
