Ireland appeal Healy’s ban

Ireland last night launched an appeal against Cian Healy’s three-week ban, although it will not be in time to prevent him from missing Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland.

Championship organisers Six Nations Rugby Ltd (SNRL) confirmed last night that the IRFU had formally appealed against the decision of an independent Disciplinary Committee last week to impose a three-week playing suspension following Healy’s citing for a stamp on England’s Dan Cole during the match in Dublin on February 10.

Healy had been cited the following day and the loose-head prop admitted guilt to the charge at the hearing on February 13. The appeal, however, relates to the specific period covered by the three-week playing suspension, which is due to end on midnight of Sunday, March 10, ruling the player out of both the Scotland and France games.