Healy reprieve boosts beleaguered Ireland for France test

There was finally some good news for Irish rugby coming out of Scotland yesterday after an independent Six Nations Disciplinary Appeal Committee sitting in Glasgow cleared Cian Healy to face France on March 9.

Loosehead prop Healy missed last Sunday’s 12-8 defeat by the Scots at Murrayfield having admitted guilt in stamping on England prop Dan Cole during the RBS 6 Nations game in Dublin on February 10.

He had been cited for the incident on February 11 and at his hearing two days later was banned for three weeks, a period that was stretched over four weekends to Sunday March 10 to take account of the first break weekend in the Six Nations Championship.