Martin makes plea over ban

Leicester captain Martin Johnson will tonight attempt to convince a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel to allow him to face reigning Zurich Premiership champions London Wasps on Saturday.

Johnson faces a one-match ban for picking up three yellow cards this season but the former England captain will avoid the ban if he wins his appeal against the card he received at Saracens a week ago.

If he fails, then Johnson will join fellow England internationals Lewis Moody, Graham Rowntree and Lewis Moody on the sidelines for the final game of the regular league programme. Wasps are top, with Leicester on the same points, and whoever wins next weekend will go straight into the Zurich play-off final at Twickenham on 14 May. The losers will have to play off against Bath or Sale a week earlier.

Rowntree and Moody were ruled out after suffering serious injuries as Leicester lost their Heineken Cup semi-final 27-19 to Toulouse yesterday.

Tigers head coach John Wells said: "Graham hurt his knee and will be out for the rest of the season. He is expected to be back in three or four weeks, so he should be okay for the Lions.

"Moody damaged his medial ligament and we believe he will be out for two or three weeks." Meanwhile, prop Matt Stevens's hopes of featuring in this summer's Lions tour will depend on the verdict of a London knee specialist this week after he was injured during Bath's 21-19 win over London Irish at Reading.

London Irish head coach Gary Gold remains optimistic about avoiding relegation after picking up a losing bonus point. He said: "The pressure is very much on us, although now all we are thinking about is staying up in the Premiership and not chasing a wildcard place.

"We have to beat Newcastle next week to be clear and safe. We lost but our guys again showed commitment and that is why I think we are going to be okay."

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