Dawson out for rest of year

England and Northampton Saints scrum-half Matt Dawson has been ruled out for the remainder of the year after injuring his knee against Leicester Tigers.

His club reports that his likely to keep him out until the middle of January.

The 30-year-old was carried off in Saints' win at Welford Road last weekend, a result that ended Leicester's 57-game unbeaten home Premiership record.

Dawson therefore misses Northampton's back-to-back Heineken Cup appointments with Welsh side Cardiff, a Powergen Cup sixth-round tie at National Division One club Orrell, as well as two rounds of the Zurich Premiership.

Dawson joins fellow England internationals Lewis Moody, Neil Back and Jonny Wilkinson who are all sidelined until early 2003.