England captain Phil Vickery is a major doubt for the summer tour of New Zealand after a knee ligament tear was confirmed.

The Wasps star has been ruled out for approximately eight weeks after sustaining a tear to his medial collateral ligament in his right knee during Tuesday night's victory over Sale Sharks.

Vickery underwent a scan on Wednesday during which the injury was confirmed.

He will begin an intensive rehabilitation programme immediately, with a full recovery expected to take around eight weeks - a period which co-incides with the start of England's tour Down Under.

The news is also a blow to Wasps' end-of-season hopes - they are on course for a top-four finish in the Guinness Premiership and a play-off spot following Tuesday's victory.

Wasps' director of rugby Ian McGeechan said: "Losing a player of Phil's calibre and experience is obviously a major blow, especially at this crucial time of the season.

"However, the busy schedule we've been faced with recently has demonstrated the strength that we have throughout the Wasps squad; with careful management allied to the spirit and determination the players are showing, we are confident we can remain competitive for the remainder of the season."

England will play two Tests in New Zealand this summer, the first of which takes place on June 14.

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