Lipman, Crockett and Higgins each played over 100 games for Bath

Former Bath players Michael Lipman and Alex Crockett have lodged appeals against the nine-month bans they received for missing two drug tests.

Andrew Higgins, who was also suspended by the Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel on 3 August, has announced his retirement from rugby.

The 27-year-old said he had become "profoundly disillusioned".

The three players were found to have failed to undertake drug tests as Bath investigated allegations of misconduct.

England international Lipman, 29, and 27-year-old Crockett - who were the co-captains of Bath last season - have appealed against both the decision of the RFU panel and its sanction.

Higgins, who insisted his only concern was to be cleared of using drugs, said he would retire from professional rugby to pursue other interests.

The RFU panel dropped charges of drug use at the outset of the four-day hearing.

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