The England second five Billy Twelvetrees is expected to miss Saturday's first Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park.
The 25-year-old Gloucester player has been out for a month with an ankle injury and has been unable to train this week.
Bath's Kyle Eastmond is likely to take Twelvetrees' place at inside centre despite not playing since April.
Freddie Burns is set to play at first-five with Premiership finalists Owen Farrell and Stephen Myler missing and George Ford ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Because of a combination of injury and unavailability - players who were involved in the Premiership final will not be ready to play until the second Test - England will go into the match in Auckland without eight of the starting 15 that lined up in the final Six Nations match this year.
The teams are set to be named on Thursday.
