The England hooker Dylan Hartley will miss this weekend's Premiership semi-final, but expects to be fit for England's tour of New Zealand next month.
The 28-year-old has not played since injuring a shoulder in March.
But the Northampton hooker is hopeful of returning before the end of the season and in time for England's three-Test series in New Zealand in June.
Those already confirmed to miss the tour of New Zealand are prop Alex Corbisiero, flanker Tom Croft, wingers Jack Nowell and Christian Wade and hooker Tom Youngs.
Hartley, capped 55 times, started all five Six Nations games earlier this year.
Northampton play Leicester in this weekend's semi-finals... any players involved in the final will miss the first Test in Auckland.
