Danny Care will be left out of England's Six Nations squad after his second alcohol-related misdemeanour in a month.
The 25-year-old scrum-half was arrested for drink driving on New Year's Eve - three weeks after he was picked up for being drunk and disorderly following Harlequins' 21-10 Heineken Cup defeat by Toulouse.
On that occasion Care was released without charge and paid a fixed penalty charge - while he was also fined by his club.
Care, though, is now set to appear in court on January 16.
Interim head coach Stuart Lancaster will now not consider Care for either his 32-man elite performance squad or the Saxons when they are announced on January 11.
Care was forced to miss the World Cup after suffering a foot injury in the build up to the tournament.
But having rediscovered his best for for table-topping Harlequins, he was expected to start the Six Nations as first-choice scrum-half.
However Lancaster has now met with Care and told him his behaviour is not what is expected of an England international.
Lancaster, who worked with Care during their time together at Leeds, has taken the hardline approach in a bid to avoid any repeat of the off-field antics that dogged England during the World Cup.
Lancaster said: "I have met Danny and told him that he will not be considered for selection for the Senior or Saxons Elite Player Squads that are due to be announced on the 11th January for the forthcoming Six Nations campaign.
"This is his second arrest in three weeks for alcohol related offences and it is completely unacceptable. We will monitor his progress from this event through Harlequins and we have every confidence in the club to support him in the right way.
"At such a time that we feel he can be trusted to behave appropriately on and off the field then he will be reconsidered for selection, but this will not be until the conclusion of the Six Nations as a minimum."
Although disappointed by the decision, Care has accepted the punishment and vowed to bounce back.
In a statement issued via his agents at Big Red Management, Care said: "I do accept that I made a very bad decision on the evening in question and need to take the punishment that the courts hand out.
"I have decided not to contest the charge as I want to bring this to a close swiftly rather than have it hanging over my head for a year or more.
"I would stress though that at no time did I think I had drunk enough to be over the legal limit. However I should not have got into the car and have to accept the consequences of that action.
"I am devastated not to be selected for the Elite Player Squad for the Six Nations as I felt I had been playing near the top of my game with Quins.
"However I wish the team, and the other number nines who come in to play, the best of luck as playing for your country is the highest honour in the game and I will miss it hugely. It's now up to me to get my head down, keep playing well and learn from my actions.
"Quins and Stuart have been very supportive and I totally accept their sanctions.
"I do understand the need for England players to be role models in the game and have tried to live up to that at all times, but have made a couple of stupid decisions in the past weeks.
"I can only hope for the chance in the future to prove those decisions were the exception not the rule. I am devastated because my actions have let so many people down."
Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea told BBC Radio 5 live: "I think Stuart has done the right thing and I support the RFU completely and entirely."
O'Shea said that Care's behaviour was "inexcusable" but added that Harlequins would support a player who he described as a "really, really good guy".
"He made a very, very bad decision and, on top of one a few weeks back, he's going to pay a very, very high penalty," O'Shea added.
"He has been tainted and brings that on himself. He's not trying to hide behind anything. He's fronted up very quickly."
Last month, Lancaster, who nurtured Care's development when in charge of the Leeds academy, was named interim England coach for the Six Nations, which begins on 4 February.
