Six-week ban puts Grewcock's World in turmoil

The 34-year-old was found guilty of punching Clermont Auvergne's Thibault Privat during the European Challenge Cup Final last month.

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Grewcock: Out of England's first two World Cup matches pending an appeal

His ban will run from August 4 until September 15, ruling him out of England's World Cup warm-up games and two pool matches, including the showdown with South Africa in Paris on September 14.

England coach Brian Ashton, who names a 40-man tournament training squad on Friday, will surely not consider selecting a player who would be woefully short of match practice.

Grewcock has been capped 69 times but his short fuse has often landed him in hot water.

He became only the second England player to receive a red card during a Test match, against New Zealand in 1998.

The player and his club have until Thursday afternoon to lodge an appeal although if they they do so and it is rejected, the sentence could be increased.

Springboks coach Jake White is under investigation by the South African Rugby Union after a late-night argument with a journalist in a Johannesburg pub.

The journalist was later assaulted by a third party and claimed his argument with White had incited the attack.

SARU manager of national teams, Andy Marinos, said: "Jake White is not being grilled as has been suggested, but we have launched an internal investigation.

"Our legal officer is speaking to all parties and once he has done his work we will take a decision on what further course of action might be taken."