IRELAND prop Peter Clohessy, banned for 2,6 playing weeks for stamping on French forward Olivier Roumat last Saturday, has expressed his sincere regrets for the incident. He has also formally appealed against the suspension.
Whatever the outcome of the appeal, Clohessy intends to play again after he serves whatever suspension is subsequently imposed after the appeal.
In a statement last night, Clohessy said "I wish to state my regret regarding the unfortunate incident involving myself and Olivier Roumat.
"It happened in the momentum of a gathering ruck situation and was without malicious intent. I apologise to the player and further state that I intend to appeal the severity of the sentence.
Elaborating on the official statement last night, Clohessy said "Of course I regret what happened, but I repeat it was not my intention to stamp deliberately on Roumat. I know when you look it at on video it looks bad, and I can understand some of the reaction. But I can only state what my honest intentions were and they were not to stamp deliberately.
"I have often been severely criticised and I can accept some of the criticism as being valid. I have had plenty of it in my time, and some of it has been untrue. But you learn to live with it even when it is not warranted.
"Some of it has been very hurtful to my wife, my family and myself. We do have our feelings. Nor have I on occasions even been given the right to defend myself before accusations have appeared. I think anyone has that right."
Referring to a picture that appeared in this paper yesterday and a caption which suggested he was making a gesture to the crowd, he said "That is completely wrong. Whatever else I may have done and people say I have done, I have never at any time made gestures to a crowd and I did not make any on Saturday. I had no reason to make any gesture. Holding up a finger in the middle of the field would hardly be the way to make a gesture to the crowd if that was my intention."
On the question of playing again, he said "Whatever the outcome of my appeal, I intend to play again.
I do not intend to go out of a game have played and loved since hood this way. I will come back play at whatever level I am chosen".
The president of the IRFU Syd Millar, yesterday issued a statement on the suspension and the circumstances surrounding it. It is, in effect, as one expected it would be this stage, a holding statement the union meets next Thursday week.
While the statement unreservedly condemns foul and dangerous play, it does not in fact either endorse or disagree with the actual suspension. But that is understandable with an appeal pending.
In their statement, the IRFU said "The incident involving Peter Clohessy in the France v Ireland Five Nations Championship match at Parc des Princes on Saturday last was brought to the attention of the IRFU after the match, and having reviewed the incident on video, the IRFU in the first instance, together with the FFR, took immediate action under section 26 (3) (B) to cite Peter Clohessy.
"The Irish Rugby Football Union will further review the incident at a special meeting of its full committee on Thursday, February 29th.
"The IRFU unreservedly condemns foul and dangerous play and will always use its maximum endeavours to ensure that it is not condoned or tolerated in any way.
The Ireland manager, Pat Whelan, said "I endorse the view expressed in the statement by the president of the IRFU. In the circumstances I do not think at this stage it would be appropriate for me to add anything to what the president has said. There is no point in elaborating on it."
The ban on Clohessy was imposed by the match commissioner, Alan Hosie, a member of the Scottish Rugby Union and vastly experienced fonder international referee. He looked at the video on Saturday night, when Clohessy was cited, but decided to wait until Sunday to make a decision. He decided on that course of action as he wanted to study the video of the match and the relevant incident in minute detail before coming to his decision. Having done that, Hosie conveyed his decision in a telephone call to the IRFU secretary, Philip Browne, when the Ireland team arrived at Dublin Airport from Paris early on Sunday afternoon.
While Clohessy was informed of his decision verbally by the Ireland manager at Dublin Airport, he has the right to appeal within a day of receiving the official notification of the sanction imposed on him. That appeal has now been lodged.
Under those circumstances, the IRFU could not take any action other than the statement they have issued in case it could be deemed prejudicial to the appeal. The position in relation to the appeal may be clarified by the time the IRFU executive committee meets in Dublin on Thursday week.
