Vickery facing possible ban
England prop Phil Vickery is facing suspension following his dismissal for dangerous play during Gloucester's 36-16 Premiership defeat against Bath.
The 20-stone tighthead was sent off by referee Chris Rees after hurling himself at Bath hooker and England colleague Mark Regan.
Regan was caught in a forward pile-up when Vickery lunged into the ruck after Rees had blown his whistle. The incident left Regan requiring treatment before being stretchered off with his neck in a brace, although he was quickly up and walking and did not require hospital treatment.
"Phil is a good friend of mine, and he apologised afterwards," Regan said. "I told him not to worry about it."
Vickery though, who played in four of England's Six Nations Championship matches this season, is now at the mercy of a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel.
A lengthy ban would rule him out of Gloucester's Premiership run-in, and could even throw into doubt his participation on England's summer tour to South Africa.
"It was a physical game - these things happen," said Bath coach Andy Robinson. "There will certainly be no witch-hunt from Bath about it."
Vickery's departure completed a miserable day for Gloucester, whose second successive league defeat saw Bath - unbeaten since losing a Tetley's Bitter Cup-tie at Kingsholm on January 3 - move above them into third place. And Robinson's men will go top of the Premiership if they beat Recreation Ground visitors Sale next Saturday, when neither leaders Leicester nor second-placed Northampton are involved in league action.
1. Max Verstappen ()
