Mears is one year into a four-year contract at Bath

Bath hooker Lee Mears will miss England's autumn Tests because of the knee injury he suffered in the Heineken Cup defeat by Ulster on 9 October.

The 30-year-old was substituted in the 26-12 defeat after damaging medial ligaments in his left knee and will be out of action for six to eight weeks.

Mears has 34 England caps, his latest coming against Scotland in March.

England play Australia at Twickenham on 7 November before taking on Argentina and New Zealand.

The Torquay-born hooker is one of Bath's longest-serving players, having signed for the west country club in 1998.

His performances for club and country were rewarded with a call-up to the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of South Africa in the summer.

Mears played in the first Test, which the Lions lost 26-21.

England boss Martin Johnson is already without prop Andrew Sheridan, fly-half Danny Cipriani, flanker Tom Rees, full-back Delon Armitage and centres Riki Flutey and Jordan Turner-Hall for the autumn internationals.

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