Northampton flanker Neil Best will miss Ireland's autumn international schedule after being handed an 18-week ban for eye-gouging. Best admitted illegally making contact with the eye or eye area of Wasps' James Haskell during a recent English Premiership game.

The suspension rules Best out of action until January 28th of next year, leaving his chances of making the Ireland set-up for the Six Nations championship in serious doubt.  Ireland kick-off their campaign at home to France just over a week after the ban is due to expire.

The 29-year-old, capped 18 times for Ireland, received the ban following his appearance before Rugby Football Union (RFU) disciplinary chiefs yesterday.

It is not known whether Best intends appealing the length of the sanction - the range of punishments for the offence varied from a six-week ban to a maximum of two years - but a brief statement from Northampton this morning explained that "the club and player are in the process of seeking legal advice".

A further statement is expected from the club later today ahead of tomorrow's deadline to lodge an appeal.

Best had been cited by Premiership citing officer Ken Pattinson following Saints' 24-20 victory over Wasps at Franklin's Gardens.

Haskell gave evidence before the panel, confirming his written statement made after the game that the player (Best) "gratuitously commenced to gouge at (his) eye with increasing intensity".

Haskell said his vision became increasingly blurred, he suffered excruciating pain and felt physically sick because of soreness.

He was later taken to Northampton General Hospital, where an ophthalmologist diagnosed a corneal abrasion and prescribed antibiotic drops.

Photographs taken a day after the game showed significant swelling around Haskell's eye, which was closed and bruised, with a one-centimetre scratch on his upper eyelid.

Best, whose Northampton team-mate Dylan Hartley received a six-month suspension for eye-gouging last year, told the panel he had acted recklessly, and not deliberately.