Alan Quinlan will face an ERC disciplinary hearing following an alleged eye-gouging incident during the second-half of Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final. If the Munster flanker is found guilty of the offence he is all but certain to miss the forthcoming Lions tour.
Television pictures appeared to show Quinlan making contact with the eye area of Leinster captain Leo Cullen and the match citing commissioner, John Byett, has decided to cite the player. As yet, no date has been set for the hearing.
Officials take a dim view of gouging incidents and, were Quinlan to be found guilty, he could expect a ban of at least three months.
Neil Best, the former Ulster backrow now plying his trade with Northampton, was handed an 18-week ban for the same offence earlier this season while his teammate at Franklin Gardens, Dylan Hartley, was suspended for six months in 2007.
Cullen declined to comment on the incident in the aftermath of Saturday’s 25-6 Leinster win, saying: “I don’t want to comment on it. A lot of things happen in rugby matches. It’s a physical game, that’s the nature of it.”
His coach, Michael Cheika, lent his support to Quinlan, adding: “He’s a player I’ve massive respect for so I can’t see him doing anything out of the ordinary.”
Somewhat of a surprise selection in Ian McGeechan’s Lions squad, Quinlan’s potential absence is likely to see the Irish representation in South Africa drop from 14 to 12.
Chris Cussiter remains the favourite to replace the injured Tomas O’Leary while England’s Tom Croft is tipped to get the nod if Quinlan is ruled out.
