How long will Rotherham United be without Ollie Rathbone and Bailey Wright?

ROTHERHAM United duo Ollie Rathbone and Bailey Wright are expected to play no further part in the club's Championship survival push until next month.

Manager Matt Taylor is planning on being without both players for Tuesday's Championship home clash against Preston North End and believes they will also miss Saturday's AESSEAL New York  encounter with survival rivals at Cardiff City which signals the start of the fortnight-long international break.

Midfielder Rathbone, who had been in superb form, has been absent from the line-up for the last two matches as he nurses a groin issue that troubled him earlier in the campaign.

"He's not immediately close to a return," said Taylor yesterday after a 2-0 loss at Birmingham City has ended the Millers' three-match unbeaten run. "He is still sore. He won't make Tuesday and I'd be surprised if he made Saturday."

Centre-half Wright, a loan arrival from Sunderland in January, damaged his calf in the 3-1 in over Queens Park Rangers eight days ago.

His injury is ruling him out for the Millers and could also cost him his place in the Australia squad for a double-header against Ecuador on March 24 and 28.

"It's a real shame because when he has played he's played well for us," Taylor said. "I doubt he will be fit for Tuesday or Saturday.

"Then it's a case of what we can do with him over the international break when he is due to go to Australia and be involved with them."

Wright's unavailability is compounding a shortage of centre-halves for the Millers who aren't the same team without Rathbone's all-action presence.

Rotherham are hoping the pair will be given the all-clear to feature at Hull City when the second-tier programme resumes on April 1.

"We are missing important players," said Taylor as he analysed the Birmingham defeat. "You could sense the spine wasn't there in terms of the physicality and league know-how."

Right-half Lee Peltier had recovered sufficiently from a hamstring complaint to start and covered at centre-half at St Andrew’s.

He was replaced in the second half by new boy Tyler Blackett, the first time the central defender has played since he ended his MLS spell with FC Cincinnati in November.

Another centre-back, club captain Richard Wood, was in the travelling party for the first time since the January 21 visit to Watford. He took part in the warm-up but was not in the matchday 18.