BATH captain Danny Grewcock was last night ruled out of England's match against New Zealand next month after being sent off in his side's Parker Pen Challenge Cup final defeat by Wasps.
Grewcock, having seen one red and three yellow cards already this season, was ordered off by Welsh referee Nigel Williams after raining a series of blows on the top of the head of his international teammate Lawrence Dallaglio during the second half of Bath's 48-30 defeat at Reading's Madejski Stadium.
He will miss the Wellington meeting with the All Blacks on June 14 after receiving a two-week suspension from a disciplinary hearing held after yesterday's final.
Independent match commissioner Brian McLaughlin, of Ireland, convened the hearing, which Grewcock and Dallaglio both attended.
Bath were given 72 hours from the hearing to decide whether to appeal against the ban and were considering their options last night.
The ban will begin on June 1, also ruling Grewcock out of the clash with the New Zealand Maori in New Plymouth five days before the Wellington Test.
England coach Clive Woodward is due to announce his tour squad at Twickenham tomorrow morning, but Grewcock will be available for the match against Australia at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium a week later.
The loss of their skipper completed a miserable day for 1998 Heineken Cup winners Bath, who were well beaten by their English rivals in their second European final.
Co-coach Michael Foley said: "There are a few of our guys who are battered and bruised. It was a final and I think both sides went at it as hard as they could.
"I'm not going to complain. I think we played a very good side in Wasps. They put a lot of pressure on us and that led to errors.
"I thought our side was extremely courageous and never gave up."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article