England centre Will Greenwood will miss his team's next World Cup match to return home for compassionate reasons.
Coach Clive Woodward said in a statement on Sunday that Woodward would leave the training camp to visit his pregnant wife but would return later in the tournament.
"Will is flying home for a week in order that he can be with his wife Caro, who is experiencing difficulties during her second pregnancy," Woodward said. "I will not be flying out a direct replacement for Will or bringing out anyone on standby as we have sufficient cover in the squad."
Greenwood will miss England's next match against Samoa in Melbourne on October 26th but is expected to return for their final pool C game with Uruguay in Brisbane on November 2nd.
It is a particularly sensitive time for Greenwood, who has already had to deal with one personal tragedy when his four-month-old premature baby son Freddie died 45 minutes after birth in September last year.
"On behalf of the squad we would appreciate it if Will and Caro could be given complete privacy during this time," Woodward said.
The coach will hope that his most productive centre is able to return to the squad in a positive frame of mind. Greenwood scored the only try in England's 25-6 win over South Africa on Saturday to add to the double he got in the opening 84-6 thrashing of Georgia.
Those took his try scoring tally to 28 from 43 games, a phenomenal return for any player but particularly for a centre.
The 63rd-minute score made amends for a first-half blunder that could have cost England dear. After Louis Koen had missed his fourth penalty attempt, Greenwood caught the ball behind his line but failed to touch it down.
As he slung it forward to be cleared he was then penalised for a forward pass and South Africa were awarded a scrum five metres from the England line.
Luckily for Greenwood, scrumhalf Kyran Bracken managed to turn the ball over to avert the danger.
"It was an aberration," Greenwood said. "Why did I do it? I've no idea. Will I do it again? I very much hope not."