Munster to appeal Alex Nankivell two-game suspension

A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

APPEAL: Munster will appeal Alex Nankivell’s suspension. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady.

Munster will appeal Alex Nankivell’s suspension, the province confirmed on Tuesday evening, with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Munster management had been considering the appeal in front of an independent disciplinary panel following the two-game suspension handed to Nankivell last Friday night.

They had already been forced to travel to France without their first-choice inside centre for last Saturday’s Champions Cup tie at La Rochelle after his red card against Connacht for a foul play against Cian Prendergast seven days previously.

Yet the hope is that their former Maori All Blacks centre will be allowed to face Bordeaux-Begles in this Saturday’s quarter-final at Stade Chaban-Delmas, though the appeal also runs the risk of the panel increasing his suspension.

Munster are set to name their team for the return to France on Friday at 1pm.