LIONS lock Danny Grewcock has protested his innocence after he was found found guilty of biting an opponent and banned for two months.

The 32-year-old Bath forward is to fly home from New Zealand after being cited by match commissioner Willem Venter for allegedly biting New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu's finger during the Lions' 21-3 first Test defeat in Christchurch on Saturday.

Wales lock Brent Cockbain is the favourite to replace Grewcock in Sir Clive Woodward's squad, with a decision expected during the next 24 hours.

"I am obviously very disappointed at the outcome of the hearing," said Grewcock, who was accompanied by Lions tour manager Bill Beaumont and Lions legal counsel Richard Smith QC.

"I do not agree with the decision, because as I argued to the hearing, I did not bite the player at all.

"But I have to accept the decision, and that means for me the tour is over. I have decided, therefore, that I will return home as soon as I can.

"I think that is the best course of action for me, and for the tour. I now hope that the rest of the Lions squad go on to win the next two Tests.

"I am just sad they will have to do it without me, and I wish them all the very best for the remaining matches on the tour."

Mealamu, All Blacks wing Sitiveni Sivivatu, Grewcock and Beaumont all gave evidence to the hearing, while written reports were accepted from match referee Joel Jutge, touch judge Stuart Dickinson and All Blacks doctor Graham Paterson.

Mealamu complained to match officials that he had been bitten during the 63rd minute at Jade Stadium, barely six minutes after Grewcock appeared off the replacements' bench.

"The judicial officer accepted that Mealamu's fingers inadvertently entered Grewcock's mouth at the breakdown, but rather than removing the fingers in a more conventional way, Grewcock bit Mealamu's right ring finger, and accordingly, he found that the player was guilty of biting," said the judicial finding report.

Richard Hill's tour is also over after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and captain Brian O'Driscoll has also departed after dislocating his left shoulder in the first minute.

Coach Sir Clive Woodward said: "We lost Brian after 40 seconds, we lost Richard Hill - his is also a very, very serious injury. He has ruptured his ACL ligament - that is a career threatening injury.

"We lost Tom Shanklin in training in the morning, so it was a bad day in many, many ways."

Gareth Thomas has been appointed captain and the Welshman has urged his players to exact the ultimate revenge for the ugly incident which ended Driscoll's tour by storming back to win the Test series.

The Lions claim New Zealand captain Tana Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu deliberately executed a double spear-tackle on O'Driscoll and are furious that no action has been taken to cite the two All Blacks.

"It is not an excuse to go out and get revenge. For me, getting revenge would be winning on Saturday," Thomas said.

"The fact that he was put out of the game in the way that he was will fire every single one of us to get out there and do better in the second and third Tests.

"It is a disappointing incident and myself and the rest of boys are terribly upset for Brian. He is a quality person on and off the field and he was a guy we were all willing to follow.

"I am now captain but in my eyes Brian is still the captain of the 2005 Lions. He is going to stay with us and still play a big part in this trip.

"Brian would be the first to say we have to get over the disappointment of losing him in those dreadful circumstances, and get on with the job of preparing for Tuesday's match against Manawatu and then the second Test."

O'Driscoll said: "Obviously, I am absolutely gutted that my tour is over. There is a huge element of frustration and anger at the way it happened.

"I have no doubt whatsoever there was some sort of spear tackle that ended it. When you have worked so hard for something like that, to have a minute and 17 seconds, it doesn't really feel justified."

Woodward added: "I think the tapes were conclusive. To me, there was plenty enough evidence.

"I am very disappointed the two players weren't even brought in to talk about it. You can still be cited and go to the hearing and be totally acquitted, but just to say nothing happened in that incident is an amazing decision to make."