Quinlan to appeal against ban

MUNSTER have confirmed that Alan Quinlan will lodge an appeal following his 12-week ban.

An independent Appeal Committee will convene in Glasgow tomorrow. The independent Appeal Committee will be chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar (Scotland) and also comprise Rod McKenzie (Scotland) and HHJ Jeff Blackett (England).

Quinlan is set to miss the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa after being found guilty of making contact with the eye area of Leinster skipper Leo Cullen during a Heineken Cup semi-final earlier this month.

Quinlan is currently suspended until early September, and did not assemble with the Lions in Surrey.

The Lions say they will not stand in the way of Quinlan’s appeal.

An independent disciplinary committee decided last week that Quinlan’s offence was at the “low-range” in terms of its seriousness level.

Meanwhile Connacht coach Michael Bradley has taken the scalpel to his squad, with 13 players being let go.

Included among those departing are long-serving lock Andrew Farley, out-halves Andy Dunne and Tim Donnelly, centres Mel Deane and John Hearty and wingers Mike Roberts and Danny Riordan. Hookers Joe Merrigan and Conor Muldoon, props John Lyne and Brian McGovern, lock David Gannon and backrower Colm Rigney are also moving on.