ENGLAND YESTERDAY suffered the first withdrawal from their summer tour to Australia and New Zealand when Dylan Hartley pulled out with a knee injury.

Hartley sustained cartilage damage to his left knee during Northampton’s 21-19 defeat by Saracens in their English Premiership semi-final last Sunday.

A scan yesterday revealed the extent of an injury that will be treated with an arthroscopy. George Chuter of Leicester has been called up to replace the combative 24-year-old hooker, who was embarking on his first major England tour. Hartley has grown in stature throughout a strong campaign at Franklin’s Gardens.

Saracens will appeal against director of rugby Brendan Venter’s 14-week touchline ban after chief executive Edward Griffiths angrily described disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett’s judgement as “self parody” and a “public attack”.

Venter received the punishment on Tuesday after being found guilty of making inappropriate gestures and comments to spectators during his side’s 32-23 win at Leicester on May 8th.

Griffiths’ comments are the latest in an ongoing war of words between the two parties.

Griffiths said: “This kind of public attack on a leading club does the RFU no credit at all. We find ourselves in a ludicrous situation where Brendan Venter, our director of rugby, has been banned from attending the Premiership final because, during our recent match at Leicester, he was given a seat with a restricted view.

“He stood to follow the play, he was shouted down and abused by home supporters, in response he did not swear at anybody and did not make any obscene gestures.”