Saints lock Courtney Lawes is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the Aviva Premiership © PA Photos

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Northampton lock Courtney Lawes has suffered a setback in his bid to be fit for the new Aviva Premiership season.

The England international, who has been sidelined since February with a series of problems, suffered an elbow injury during pre-season training and has since undergone an operation to rectify the problem. But Saints are still hopeful the 23-year-old will be fit for the season-opener against Gloucester on September 1.

"Courtney has had an operation on an elbow injury and is rehabbing well," a club spokesman told the Northamptonshire Telegraph.

Lawes missed the majority of England's Six Nations campaign with a knee injury and as a result his contribution was limited to an appearance off the bench against Wales. He was later struck down with a shine injury that ruled him out of the Saints' Premiership run-in.

However, he retained his place in the latest England Elite Player Squad that was announced earlier this month.