Leinster blow as Jennings hit with 12-week ban for gouging

LEINSTER and Ireland flanker Shane Jennings was hit with a 12-week ban after being found guilty of an eye-contact offence during last Friday’s Heineken Cup clash against London Irish.

The severity of the ban comes despite a statement from Exiles captain Bob Casey who admitted the victim of the offence, Nick Kennedy, had overreacted.

And on a day of bad news for the top two Irish provinces, Jerry Flannery has been ruled out of Munster’s clash with Treviso at Thomond Park on Saturday with a calf muscle tear. He could be out for four weeks.