Dumbfounded, tight-lipped and in total silence the normally loquacious Austin Healey nipped out of the Dublin Airport Hotel and past the media.

After a Lions disciplinary meeting which ran from 11.00am into mid afternoon, Healey departed, his wallet a little lighter from an undisclosed fine and having been found to be in breach of clause 6.1.3 of his contract with the Lions.

In doing that he had been judged by Lions manager Donal Lenihan, coach Graham Henry and captain Martin Johnson to have brought the Lions into disrepute.

But Healey didn't shoulder the whole rap for his tilt at the Australian team in an article written in The Guardian on July 13th of this year. The committee also believed there to be "considerable extenuating circumstances" and in particular considered the Leicester player to be a "victim of a breach of trust by his ghost journalist (i.e the journalist who actually wrote the column after speaking with the player)."

Healey stated and the committee accepted, that he "had not written the article, nor did he say or agree with what was said in the article, nor did he have the opportunity to check the article and that if he had had the opportunity, he would certainly have found it unacceptable and would have required it to be changed prior to publication."

In the column, which appeared in the paper just before the Lions faced Australia in the third Test, the 28-year-old utility back was pointedly derogatory to the opposition and referred to Wallaby lock, Justin Harrison, as a "plank" and a "plod"

The committee accepted Healey's submission, made with the support of Leicester director of coaching Dean Richards and his agent Johnathan Barrett, that he "regrets the incident and intended no disrespect to the Lions or the Tour Management."

Still the committee took the view that the Healey incident was a "serious one that did harm to the tour and the Lions and therefore a fine is imposed."

But what goes on tour stays on tour and what goes on in the disciplinary hearing room stays in the disciplinary room. Lenihan was in no mood to depart from the prepared Lions script. After all, wasn't that exactly what Healy was accused of doing.

No, the Irish manager would not say how much money the English player was fined, nor would he say whether the fine was more or less than that handed out to Matt Dawson.

"It's a personal thing. It is about the terms of his employment, an employment issue," said Lenihan in defence. "The statement is there. We've agreed that with the other party and I don't think I should say any more."

Richards, deflecting the media attention as Healey deftly found the empty channel by the gents toilets towards the waiting airport bus at the hotel doors, spoke almost affectionately about his wayward back.

"Austin would like a little bit of peace and quiet for himself and time to reflect on the results of the hearing and might make a statement in the next 24 or 48 hours and until that time, if you could give him a bit of peace and quiet I'd be obliged," said Richards.

What was irritatingly termed as a "British Lions" statement decided by a "British Lions" committee pointed out that players, who are well paid for their comments, have to take responsibility for their arrangements with the media. On top of the fine he was also asked to pay for his own costs.

Healey should survive.