Quinlan likely to appeal 12-week ban in Lions tour bid

MUNSTER flanker Alan Quinlan was found guilty of making contact with the eye area of Leinster skipper Leo Cullen during a Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park on May 1.

However, the 12-week ban imposed by a European Rugby Cup disciplinary committee is likely to be appealed in the hope that he can still make the tour of South Africa with the Lions.

Quinlan’s suspension means he is sidelined until September 10 – more than two months after the Lions tour ends. Rugby’s summer-off season is not included in the period he cannot play.

Quinlan was in Dublin for a hearing that lasted a number of hours yesterday afternoon, and was supported by Munster and Lions captain Paul O’Connell and Munster team manager Shaun Payne.

The independent committee, chaired by Roger Morris (Wales) and also comprising Simon Thomas (Wales) and Mike Hamlin (England) admitted the offence was at the low-range of the level of seriousness for an offence of this type, but still imposed a ban of 12 weeks.

Lions head coach Ian McGeechan must now consider a replacement although Quinlan won’t be replaced until such time as the case is finally dealt with. However, speculation is mounting that England’s Tom Croft is next in line for a back-row call up. Croft, the 23-year-old Leicester forward capped 13 times by England, was considered incredibly unfortunate to miss out on Lions selection.

He starred for England during the latter stages of this season’s RBS 6 Nations campaign, and was man-of-the-match when they crushed France 34-10 at Twickenham.

Lions forwards coach Warren Gatland admitted publicly that Croft was probably the unluckiest player to be a victim of the initial selection process.

And that fact has been underlined by his continued outstanding form for Leicester in their bid for a domestic and European double.

Apart from the financial implications (up to €50,000) of losing out on the Lions tour, Quinlan, would have seen selection as the biggest honour of a long career.

He and his legal advisors await the arrival of the written verdict before making any further move; following receipt of that letter they have 72 hours within which to launch an appeal.

Time is tight, however, for the Lions players not involved in the Heineken Cup final will gather in London over the weekend for a week-long familiarisation and training camp and depart for South Africa on Sunday week next.

While Quinlan considers his next move, the ban is just one of a number imposed in a get-tough campaign.

The most recent high-profile offender was Irish and Northampton flanker Neil Best who received an 18-week suspension after he pleaded guilty to making contact with the eye or eye area of London Wasps player James Haskell on September 20.

He was banned until January 28 and missed all of his club’s six European Challenge Cup pool round games. He was also ruled out of Ireland’s squad for the November Tests.

Late last season, Gloucester ‘s French forward Olivier Azam was banned for nine weeks after an offence involving Cardiff player Jamie Roberts. Prior to that, Leicester centre Seru Rabeni was suspended for 14 weeks when found guilty of making illegal contact with Andy Kyriacou’s eye.