RUGBY:PENDING THE written report by an ERC-appointed independent disciplinary committee, Alan Quinlan and his legal advisors will then have 72 hours to decide whether they will appeal the 12-week ban imposed on the Munster and Irish backrower yesterday.
Quinlan and his legal advisors are likely to receive that written report by the weekend and given it would end his hopes of touring with the British and Irish Lions to South Africa this summer – the 37-man squad departs on Sunday week – they will strongly consider lodging an appeal.
The player appeared before the committee in the ERC offices in Huguenot House on Stephen’s Green yesterday after being cited following an incident in Munster’s Heineken Cup semi-final match against Leinster at Croke Park on May 2nd, “for an act contrary to good sportsmanship in contravention of Law 10.4 (k)”.
According to yesterday’s statement by the ERC, “the independent disciplinary committee chaired by Roger Morris (Wales) and also comprising Simon Thomas (Wales) and Mike Hamlin (England), found Mr Quinlan guilty of foul play in contravention of Law 10.4 (k) in that he had made contact with the eye area of Leinster player Leo Cullen.”
“After considering the evidence, the independent disciplinary committee determined that the offence was at the low-range of the level of seriousness for an offence of this type. Having taken into account any mitigating and aggravating factors the independent disciplinary committee suspended the player for a period of (12) twelve weeks starting today, 13 May, and running up to and including 9 September 2009.”
“The 12-week suspension is for 12 playing weeks. The off-season is not included in the period of ineligibility and he will be eligible to resume playing on 10th September, 2009.”
In imposing the ‘low-range’ suspension, Quinlan was found guilty of making contact with the eye area, not ‘gouging’, for which the top end of IRB-recommended suspension is 52 weeks. Had Quinlan been found guilty of the more serious offence, he would assuredly have been hit with a much longer suspension.
The ERC Disciplinary Officer, Roger O’Connor, presented the case against the player, who was defended by Donal Spring, the former Munster, Leinster and Irish international.
It is understood that the primary evidence submitted by O’Connor consisted of Sky’s video footage of the incident which, in slow motion, looks particularly damning, but that in real time shows Quinlan initially grabbing Cullen’s jersey before coming into contact with the area around his eyes for less than a second.
It is not clear what medical evidence was presented but it is also understood Cullen himself may have made a written submission stating that Quinlan did not gouge him.
However, the disciplinary committee found that while Quinlan hadn’t intentionally made contact with Cullen’s eye, his actions were reckless and that he had come into contact with the eye area.
Were Quinlan not to appeal, or were any appeal to be unsuccessful, then the 34-year-old will miss out on his first ever Lions selection and, most likely, the English media’s cause celebre, Leicester’s Tom Croft, will be called in ahead of Welsh captain Ryan Jones.
To be at his best, Quinlan has always played on the edge and occasionally stepped over it, while his career has also been blighted by ill-timed injuries.
Although he has won 27 caps for Ireland as well as two Heineken Cup winners medals with Munster, he would have played for Ireland many more times but for an annual sequence of injuries and suspensions ever since seriously damaging his shoulder in the act of scoring Ireland’s match-winning try against Argentina in Adelaide in the pool stages of the 2003 World Cup.
Munster manager Shaun Payne said “It was going to be the pinnacle of Quinny’s career. He is absolutely distraught; he is very, very disappointed, and I think every person who enjoys rugby and has seen Quinny play will know what this means to him.”
