Cian Healy was scheduled today to face a judicial hearing in Brisbane at 7.30pm local time (10.30am Irish time) over allegations of biting.
The Ireland prop was cited by the Match Citing Commissioner, South African Freek Burger, over an incident in the 17th minute of yesterday’s match following claims by Western Force scrumhalf Brett Sheehan that he was bitten on his forearm prompted referee Glen Jackson to go to the TMO for any evidence to support the accusation.
An ARU statement confirming the citing was issued after 12.30am local time in Perth last night, almost five hours after the Lions’ win, saying that Healy had “been cited under Law 10.4.m Acts contrary to good sportsmanship, a player may not bite an opponent”.
The TMO, Glenn Newman, could find no evidence of any wrongdoing and Healy could be heard denying the allegation through the referee’s microphone. At the end of the first-half, when interviewed on Fox Sports, Sheehan commented: “I don’t know if it was an accident or on purpose, but that’s it and we move on.”
Sheehan’s non-attendance at the post-match press media briefings was due to him giving Burger a statement. When Dylan Hartley was found guilty of biting Stephen Ferris in last year’s Six Nations the Northampton hooker was suspended for eight weeks.
Asked about the incident afterwards Seán O’Brien said: “I only barely heard the scrumhalf say something to the referee. I don’t think other lads heard it. I don’t think we were rattled. We weren’t working hard enough at that point of the game.”
A second dark cloud hangs over the 25-year-old’s tour after he was stretchered off in the 36th minute with what looked like a very bad ankle injury. After the game, Warren Gatland confirmed that an X-ray revealed Healy had not suffered a fracture to his left ankle but that he had gone to hospital to ascertain the extent of ligament damage .
In any event, although Gethin Jenkins is fit to play against the Queensland Reds on Saturday, the Lions last night called up English loosehead Alex Corbisiero from their tour of Argentina.
Word is that Rob Kearney is well on the mend and there was better news from the Lions head coach on the fullback. “I spoke to the medics this morning and they are pleased with the progress he is making. He has hit all his markers at the moment, so he’s on track to be fully training next week.”
