Rugby Union: Hearings Threaten Tigers' Double Bid

Leicester's attempt on a Premiership and Heineken Cup double may be undermined by suspensions to their England captain Martin Corry and one of his predecessors, Martin Johnson.

Corry faces a disciplinary committee in Coventry this evening after being sent off in the 27th minute of Sunday's Premiership match at Saracens for elbowing his England back-row colleague Richard Hill in the face, while Johnson will next week be called to account after picking up his third yellow card of the season for foul play in the same match.

The recommended minimum ban for elbowing is three weeks but Corry faces the prospect of a longer period out of the game because he served a two-week suspension last October after being cited for stamping, while just before he elbowed Hill he was caught on camera punching the Saracens captain Hugh Vyvyan.

A three-week ban would rule Corry out of Sunday's Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse at the Walkers Stadium as well as the final match of the regular league season at home to Wasps the following Saturday.

If Leicester defeat Wasps to finish at the top of the Premiership, they would not be in action the following weekend, so Corry would miss two matches. If the Tigers lose, they would entertain Bath, Sale or Saracens in the championship play-off.

If he was handed a month's suspension, it would prevent Corry from playing in the championship final on May 14 but not the Heineken Cup final which is being staged eight days later.

Johnson will be in Coventry on Monday night after being sin-binned for foul play for the third time in eight months. The date of the hearing means Johnson will be available to lead Leicester against Toulouse but he will almost certainly miss the game against Wasps.

In past seasons three yellow cards have usually carried a one-match suspension but Johnson is the first player to be hauled before a disciplinary committee since a change in the rules which means that yellow cards for technical offences are no longer part of the totting-up procedure.

Johnson, who has been banned twice before for offences committed during matches at Saracens, faces a ban of at least two weeks: three would rule him out of the championship play-off in what will be the final month of his playing career.

Johnson was sent to the sin-bin against Saracens for starting a fight with the home back-row Ben Russell after being pulled to the ground and was furious that the match officials did not take an iron grip on the match.

Leicester are likely to be without Louis Deacon against Toulouse and his fellow second-row Ben Kay will have a fitness test on an injured ankle later in the week.

Cardiff Blues fear they will be gazumped by Worcester in their attempt to sign the New Zealand forwards Reuben Thorne and Xavier Rush. Meanwhile the Newcastle outside-half Dave Walder has signed a new two-year contract with the Falcons.