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Rugby Union

Hobson apologises for Vickery punch

06/03/2007

Bristol's Jason Hobson has apologised for jeopardising Phil Vickery's chances of leading England out against France at the weekend.

The England captain was left concussed after Hobson punched him during Sunday's Guinness Premiership defeat to Wasps.

He will undergo medical treatment but could miss the crucial Six Nations clash with Les Bleus at Twickenham.

Bristol Rugby announced yesterday that Hobson had been suspended for two weeks after admitting the offence.

He could face further action from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) although match officials failed to spot the punch and it was apparently not picked up by any of the television cameras in the ground.

Hobson is said to be very upset and apologised as soon as he realised it was Vickery that he had struck.

England boss Brian Ashton will monitor the situation closely and will desperately hope his skipper is fit as the world champions look to put their emphatic defeat at the hands of Ireland behind them.

Ashton is already likely to be without wing Jason Robinson, who has not yet recovered from the neck injury that he picked up in training ahead of the Ireland game.

Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson is also a worry and will undergo a scan today on his hamstring.

If Vickery and Wilkinson are both ruled out, Ashton could hand the captain's armband to Martin Corry, who skippered the side during their disastrous autumn series.

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