Exeter and England centre Henry Slade is likely to miss the start of the Six Nations after fracturing his ankle.

Slade came off in last week's win at Leicester, injuring the same ankle he hurt badly four years ago.

"Henry's got a small fracture in his ankle around the site of the plate he had put in a few seasons ago," Exeter boss Rob Baxter told BBC Sport.

"With things like that, albeit a small and stable fracture, you start to talk about six to eight weeks healing time."

Baxter added: "For me to talk less than that or more than that at this stage wouldn't have any bearing as there's no information that says it would be any quicker or slower than that six-to-eight week period."

Slade, who watched his club's 14-7 Premiership win against champions Saracens from the stands on Sunday, has won 27 England caps and was part of the side that reached the World Cup final in November.

England's first Six Nations game is away to France on 2 February, before travelling to Murrayfield to face Scotland in the Calcutta Cup six days later.

England host Ireland on 22 February.