The Irish management are facing the likelihood of being without Sean O’Brien as well as the stricken Paul O’Connell and Peter O’Mahony after the Tullow back-rower was cited on Monday night for striking Pascal Papé in the first minute of Ireland’s 24-9 win over France last Sunday. Johnny Sexton also remains a serious doubt.
O’Brien and Ireland will learn their fate at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday in London at 1pm, after independent Citing Commissioner Dougie Hunter cited him under Law 10.4 (a): “A player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder, head or knee(s).”
Suspensions for such offences range from a low-end entry point of two weeks to a mid-range entry point of five weeks, while the top-end begins at 12 weeks. O’Brien’s case will be heard by independent Judicial Officer Terry Willis, from Australia.
Ireland will defend O’Brien by pointing to his good disciplinary record, with Joe Schmidt maintaining that the Leinster back row was held off the ball and struck with an open hand, rather than a closed fist. But even if a lower entry suspension is reduced due to O’Brien’s disciplinary record, he may well receive a one-game ban, thereby ruling him out of Sunday’s quarter-final against Argentina.
The Argentina centre Marcelo Bosch has also been cited for under Law 10.4(e), which deals with dangerous tackles, and seems likelier to receive a ban, and a lengthier one at that.
O’Brien’s cause has not been helped by yesterday’s bitter outpourings from French coach Philippe Saint-André. “It was an assault after 23 seconds of the game,” said Saint-André, who took issue with the referee Nigel Owens and the TMO (Television Match Official) for not acting on it.
“Why? The players have an idea as to why, I have an idea and I imagine you the press also have an idea. I hope that next time the TMO will really do his job. Since the beginning of the competition, on whatever matter is concerned, try or injury, we return to a review of the images.
In this case they do no such thing.”
Rhys Ruddock has been the only replacement called up to the Irish squad as of yet, as a replacement for Peter O’Mahony, who returned to Dublin yesterday for a specialist opinion on the knee ligament injury that has ruled him out of the tournament. Were O’Brien also ruled out of the quarter-final, it is conceivable that Ruddock could be pitched straight into the match-day squad or even the starting line-up.
Paul O’Connell will also be formally ruled out today after team manager Mick Kearney yesterday confirmed that the Irish captain “has suffered a significant hamstring injury and was hospitalised overnight and is having scans later today to clarify the extent of the injury.”
A similarly cruel fate befell O’Connell on the Lions tour two years ago, when he was ruled out of the remainder of the tour after suffering a shoulder injury in the first test win. On the prospect of O’Connell remaining on for the remainder of the tournament, as he did then, Kearney said: “I think that is a decision that will be made after he has the scan and we know the extent of the damage. It will be down to Paul whether he would like to stick around. So we will have to wait and see.”
Regarding Sexton, Kearney said the out-half “suffered a groin injury and the initial clinical assessment is encouraging and we await scanning later today.”
Although Jared Payne was ruled out of the tournament last Saturday morning after a scan the day before revealed a fractured foot, Kearney said that the remainder of the squad, including Keith Earls, would be available for selection, as Ireland are still relatively well covered in midfield, there is no immediate rush in calling up a replacement for the Ulster centre.
