Quinlan to face disciplinary hearing after citing by Cardiff

MUNSTER back row Alan Quinlan has been cited by Cardiff Blues following the Heineken Cup Round 4 Pool 4 match in Thomond Park last Saturday.

Quinlan will appear before an independent disciplinary committee in Dublin on Wednesday, 20 December, as a result.

The citing lodged by the Citing Commissioner for the match, Alan Mansell of England, was for alleged stamping (in contravention of Law 10.4 (b)).

The independent disciplinary committee will be chaired by Christopher Quinlan (England) and will also comprise Bruce Reece-Russel (England) and Iain Goodall (Scotland).

Former Leinster lock Ben Gissing, now of Calvisano will also appear before an independent disciplinary committee in Dublin on Wednesday, 20 December. He has been cited as a result of an incident in the Round 3 Heineken Cup Pool 3 match against the Ospreys at Centro Sportivo San Michele on Saturday, December 9.

That disciplinary committee will be chaired by Christopher Quinlan (England) and will include Bruce Reece-Russel (England) and Caleb Powell (Ireland). As the match was not televised live a citing commissioner was not in operation. The player was cited by the Ospreys and after a review of the alleged punching incident by the independent citing officer he has ruled the player should be subject to a disciplinary hearing.

Meanwhile, Connacht’s Magners League clash with Munster on New Year’s Eve promises to be a sell-out at the Sportsground. Tickets for the game on Sunday week (ko 4pm) are selling fast. Corporate packages for the day are sold out, while the enclosed stand is also completely sold. Over 1,000 tickets have been sold for the rest of the ground.

Tickets for the game are available from Ticketmaster and from Zhivago stores. They can also be purchased at the Connacht Branch headquarters at the Sportsground up to 12.30 on Thursday, when the office will close for Christmas.

Meanwhile Brian Ashton looks set to be unveiled as England’s new head coach at Twickenham tomorrow.

Ashton’s probable appointment should be confirmed for the 2007 RBS 6 Nations Championship and Rugby World Cup campaigns.

Earlier, Rugby Football Union management board members will be presented with a recommendation for Andy Robinson’s successor by RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew.

And assuming there are no last-minute hitches, 60-year-old Lancastrian Ashton is favourite to land the role, starting with England’s opening Six Nations game against Scotland at Twickenham on February 3.

Ashton would then have nine further games before England launch their World Cup defence against the USA in Lens on September 8, with France (three times), Wales (twice), South Africa (twice), Ireland and Italy all on the agenda.