Tuesday 23 December 2014 14:54, UK
England and Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley's Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing will take place in London on Tuesday.
Northampton are set to mount a robust defence of their captain after he was sent off for elbowing Leicester centre Matt Smith in the face at Franklin's Gardens two days ago.
Hartley could miss at least the start of England's Six Nations campaign following the latest episode in a career scarred by repeated disciplinary episodes.
In a statement, the RFU said: "Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) will have his case heard by an RFU disciplinary judicial officer on Tuesday, December 23.
"Hartley was sent off in the Aviva Premiership match between Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers for striking Matt Smith with his elbow, contrary to Law 10.4(a).
"The case will be heard tomorrow evening in London by Jeremy Summers sitting as a sole judicial officer at a time to be confirmed."
Hartley's sending-off happened after just 17 minutes of the east midlands derby that Northampton won 23-19.
Referee J P Doyle initially seemed happy to award Hartley a yellow card, but television match official Sean Davey urged Doyle to watch further replays, and he responded by send off Hartley.
"It was disappointing," Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder said after the game.
"Dylan has got to keep his arms down, but he was being held and I don't know there was any malice in it.
"The nature of the game didn't justify a red card. I think Smith went down pretty easily, to be honest, which was disappointing.
"It is a tough game. That 80 minutes of rugby was hard, physical with some great tackles, but I don't think there was any malice in that. I think JP's initial reaction of the yellow card would have been the correct decision."
In 2007 Hartley was handed a 26-week ban for eye-gouging, and he was hit with an 11-week suspension for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes during the 2013 Aviva Premiership final against Leicester.
England open their Six Nations campaign against Wales in Cardiff on February 6 and given Hartley's poor record - biting and punching offences also appear on his charge-sheet - another lengthy suspension is a distinct possibility.
