Matt Stevens has been suspended from playing after failing a doping test © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Matt Stevens

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations | Six Nations

Teams: Bath Rugby | England

External Links: IRB Anti-Doping Regulations

The RFU has confirmed that Bath and England prop Matt Stevens failed a doping test following Bath's Heineken Cup match with Glasgow in December.

Stevens has been suspended from playing in all competitions and has been removed from the England Elite Player Squad for the Six Nations, due to begin on February 7 with the visit of Italy to Twickenham.

"The procedure for potential doping offences is clearly laid out in the ERC Regulations and as such the player is immediately provisionally suspended from all competition," read an RFU statement. "Matt has been removed from the England Elite Player Squad and will not travel to the training camp in Portugal on Sunday or be involved in the squad until the resolution of the case when a further decision on his inclusion in the England squad will be made.

"A decision on a replacement for Matt in the EPS squad is being considered by England Team Manager Martin Johnson and an announcement will be made in due course."

Stevens confirmed the result in a television interview, and has since been suspended by Bath.

"I was tested for a prohibited substance but it's not performance enhancing, so you can take what you want from that," he told Sky Sports News. "It's pretty distressing talking about this. When you think about how much time people have put into my career and I have thrown it away.

"Like any drug problem you don't know it's happening and then it mounts up and before you know it you have a problem and an illness."

Stevens did not confirm what drug he had tested positive for. "It started off with just a couple of nights where you take it after a big night out with your friends. It wasn't a big deal, (but) that's the problem with drugs, it so quickly becomes a big deal.

"I owe it to everyone to admit that. I want to say I truly am very sorry. I went to a few counselling sessions before the test came out. I obviously wasn't serious enough about it then.

"I had another session today and I will be going to a meeting tonight. It is something I am serious about. I want to change my life and hopefully one day get the faith back that people had in me."

In a statement, his club said, "The procedure for potential doping offences is clearly laid out in both the player's contract and the European Rugby Cup Regulations. The player is immediately suspended from competition and has been suspended by Bath Rugby until the case is resolved.

"Bath Rugby condemns the use of prohibited substances as defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. Bath Rugby is considering the implications and has no further comment to make at this time."

Having been informed of the failed test, Stevens now has three options - request for his B-sample to be tested, ask for a judicial committee to rule whether there has been an anti-doping violation or accept an anti-doping violation has occurred and go before an independent judicial hearing. It is understood that decision has not yet been taken.

Under the International Rugby Board's doping regulations, the maximum ban for a first violation is two years. However, if a player can successfully establish the use of such a specified substance was not intended to enhance sport performance the sanction would range between a warning and a one-year ban.

Leicester's veteran tight-head prop Julian White could well earn himself an international recall for the first time since withdrawing from the World Cup squad, having been called into the Saxons party last week.

Stevens' positive test has also drawn surprise from Damian Hopley, CEO of the Professional Rugby Players' association, the body concerned with the welfare of those at the top level of the game.

"We are shocked by this news, which is very out of character for Matt," he said. "He had built a reputation as a fine ambassador for the game, who does a tremendous amount of voluntary work for a number of charities and good causes.

"We will be doing everything we can to provide Matt with the support he needs at this very difficult time.The PRA and our members strongly condemn the use of performance enhancing or recreational drugs, and fully support the RFU and IRB anti-doping regulations."

Former England fly-half Stuart Barnes has spoken out in support of Stevens, maintaining that he has not taken drugs to cheat his fellow professionals. "Whatever the decision, I would like to think that there is a little bit of understanding here," he told Sky Sports News. "It is an addiction problem and not a matter of cheating. In that way I think it's personal and I think Matt Steven deserves a reasonably soft treatment."

Stevens had been tipped as a potential British and Irish Lions tourist and was set to play a vital role in England's Six Nations campaign. Born in Durban, Stevens has won 32 England caps since his debut against New Zealand in 2004, and was a Lions tourist in 2005.