Rugby:Sean O'Brien has been cleared of making contact with the eye area of a Treviso player by an IRFU disciplinary hearing which met in Ravenhill this evening. O'Brien, who was cited following an incident in the Magners League defeat in Italy at the weekend, was cleared of any wrongdoing.
The Irish international was cited under law 10.4 (l) for allegedly making contact with the eye area of Treviso backrower Enrico Pavanello in the 62nd minute of last Saturday’s match.
O’Brien and his Leinster teammate Richardt Strauss became involved in a struggle with Pavenello following a ruck. During the incident, O’Brien attempted to grab the Italian’s head gear but there didn’t appear to be any intent to make contact with his eyes.
A disciplinary panel consisting of Harry McKibbin, Stephen Hilditch and Neil Jackson heard the case at Ravenhill this evening and found O’Brien not guilty of the offence.
“The panel noted that O’Brien moved his right hand from the player’s collar across his face to grab his scrum cap," the IRFU said in a statement.
"The panel was satisfied that there had been no deliberate contact with the eye area, no injury whatsoever sustained and no player reaction was observed. The panel concluded that the player was not guilty of the offence charged and he is free to continue playing.”