Worcester's Val Rapava Ruskin banned six weeks for pushing referee

Val Rapava Ruskin is set to leave Worcester Warriors to join Premiership rivals Gloucester this summer

Worcester Warriors prop Val Rapava Ruskin has been given a six-week ban after pleading guilty to pushing a referee in the back.

The 24-year-old was cited by the Rugby Football Union for shoving Greg Garner with both hands in Friday's Premiership defeat to Newcastle Falcons.

He will miss the final match of the season against Leicester on Saturday.

Rapava Ruskin, who will join Gloucester at the end of the season, is available to play again on 4 September.

The Georgia-born player went before a disciplinary panel on Wednesday.

In a statement, the panel said the sanction "reflects the seriousness of making contact with a referee or any match official".

Rapava Ruskin's suspension rules him out of a potential England squad call, but three of his current Warriors team-mates - lock Will Spencer, stand-off Ryan Mills and winger Perry Humphreys - have been included in a 20-man three-day England 'strength and conditioning' training camp from 9-11 May,

England face the Barbarians on 28 May before playing two Tests against Argentina in June.