England captain Adrian Morley is out of the Four Nations rugby league tournament after suffering a ruptured bicep in the tourists 18-all draw with the New Zealand Maori on Saturday.

The former Sydney Roosters firebrand left the field after just six minutes of the warm-up clash, with scans at an Auckland hospital on Sunday morning confirming the worst.

Morley will fly home to England later this week to undergo surgery, his absence compounding the pre-tournament loss of regular skipper and prop Jamie Peacock.

"I'm absolutely gutted and am still coming to terms with it," said Morley, who is expected to recover in time for next year's Super League season.

"I've been around long enough to accept that injuries are a part of every sportsman's life but this one has left me devastated.

"I knew as soon as it happened that it was serious. It was just an accidental bang to my arm but the pain was excruciating.

"It's important now that I get myself right for next season."

England coach Steve McNamara said losing Morley so soon after Peacock had been forced to miss the tour because of a knee injury was a cruel blow.

"It's really tough on 'Moz' and on England," McNamara said.

"Adrian is a fiercely proud Englishman and I know how much captaining his country in the Four Nations meant to him.

"I have a lot of faith in this group of players and the loss of a player who commands the respect Adrian does has strengthened their resolve to do well in the Four Nations."

McNamara said he would weigh up over the next 24 hours whether he would bring a replacement player into the squad.

England have now moved camp to Wellington ahead of their tournament opener against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.

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