FOLLOWING YESTERDAY’S 12- week suspension of Leinster and Ireland flanker Shane Jennings at a European Rugby Cup independent disciplinary hearing, the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) chief executive Niall Woods has strongly criticised the lack of consistency in the disciplinary process. Woods also said the credibility of rugby is also under threat if the IRB do not act immediately.

The ERC found Jennings was guilty of an act contrary to good sportsmanship in contravention of Law 10.4(1) in that he made contact with the eye area of London Irish secondrow Nick Kennedy in last Friday’s Heineken Cup first-round match.

“Issues such as these come up with the players all the time. It is a constant bug bear for them,” said Woods. “There is no consistency in how sanctions are handed out. The IRB have to make the decision making process consistent because players simply don’t know what is going to happen to them when they go into disciplinary meetings.

“It is not that the players are losing trust but that they have no trust in how these issues are now dealt with, whether it’s in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere or whether it is in different competitions.”

As a result of the suspension Jennings will miss out on Leinster’s second round Heineken Cup match against Brive in France on Saturday and the next group of home and away matches in December against Llanelli Scarlets as well as the International Series in November involving Australia, Fiji and South Africa.

He will also be unable to play in any of Leinster’s Magners League games up to January 6th, 2010.

He received the 12 weeks despite the judicial officer, Roger Morris (Wales), determining the offence was at the low end of the level of seriousness for an offence of this type. IRB regulations stipulate the recommended entry-point sanction for such a low-end offence is 12 weeks.

The decision is certain to be seen as an anomaly. Most recently Munster’s Alan Quinlan was handed a 12-week ban for making contact with the eye area of Leinster captain Leo Cullen in last season’s Heineken Cup semi-final, while South African flanker Schalk Burger was given an eight weeks ban for a similar offence against Leinster’s Luke Fitzgerald during the Lions summer tour.

Prior to that Ireland and Northampton flanker Neil Best received 18 weeks, while England hooker Dylan Hartley six months for similar offences. Few would argue that all the incidents are at the same level of seriousness but Jennings’s sanction arrives with a more telling twist.

London Irish captain Bob Casey acknowledged in his Monday column in The Irish Times that Kennedy had over-reacted to the incident during the match at the RDS.

The ERC statement says the independent judicial officer issued the ban “having taken into account any mitigating and aggravating factors.”

It is understood Kennedy gave give evidence to the ERC hearing and his admission to Casey that he had over-reacted to the incident was considered by the panel.

“We would urge the IRB to do something sooner rather than later for the good of rugby,” added Woods.

Leinster were extremely disappointed and issued this statement last night: “Leinster Rugby are surprised and extremely disappointed with today’s ruling even though there was clear evidence from the opposition player that the act was not intentional.

“The ERC disciplinary committee appears to have found that Shane Jennings was careless with his actions, which is a shock to us. Shane has an impeccable record and a strong leadership role within the squad as our vice-captain and we will be appealing this decision.

“Leinster Rugby will not be commenting further until after the written report which will ‘be issued as soon as is reasonably practicable’ according to the ERC rules.”