Munster fret over Flannery suspension appeal

MUNSTER manager Shaun Payne admitted last night to “a degree of concern” that the decision to appeal the six-week suspension imposed on Jerry Flannery after an incident in the France-Ireland game could backfire on the former Heineken Cup champions.

The ban is due to end on Monday, March 29, 12 days before Munster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final game against Northampton. However, if the time period was increased from six to eight weeks, then Flannery would miss that game. On the other hand, if it was reduced to four weeks, he would be available for Ireland’s final Six Nations clash with Scotland.

Payne said last night that the appeal was “under the control of the national management”. Asked if he was concerned that the appeal could backfire on Munster, he acknowledged: “There is the chance that it could. That’s the risk you take. We have been involved recently with Alan Quinlan and John Hayes and others who appealed. That is always the danger and in this case, they have counter-appealed. Any appeal process you go into, you do run the risk of the term being increased. It’s a matter for the Six Nations.”