MUNSTER WILL learn Paul O’Connell’s fate on Thursday, when the Munster and Lions captain will attend an independent Disciplinary Hearing at the ERC offices in Dublin as a result of the red card he received against the Ospreys on Sunday.
O’Connell was sent off for striking the Ospreys number eight Jonathan Thomas in contravention of Law 10.4 (a). If found guilty, the recommended suspensions under IRB regulations covering Law 10.4 (a) range from two weeks (lower end) to five weeks (mid-range) and eight weeks plus (top end) up to a maximum of 52 weeks.
The case will be heard by the independent Judicial Officer appointed for the hearing Jeff Blackett (England), with the ERC represented by Roger O’Connor, their disciplinary officer. O’Connell will be entitled to his own legal representative as well as, most likely, the Munster manager Shaun Payne.
O’Connell and his legal adviser will assuredly argue extenuating circumstances, such as provocation for having his shirt tugged from behind by Thomas well away from the ball when the incident occurred, in the 69th minute, and that he swung his forearm without looking. He will assuredly deny any deliberate attempt to strike with his elbow, as was intimated by the referee and has been suggested by some commentators.
It also seems safe to assume that O’Connell’s legal adviser will point to the player’s relatively unblemished disciplinary record, having never been sent off in his career. His only suspension was for two weeks several years ago, along with Robert Sidoli, when the pair were charged with fighting during an Ireland-Wales game.
It’s conceivable therefore that the punishment could be deemed at the lower end, with O’Connell’s record further reducing the ban, but the expectation is that he will face a suspension of some sort.
O’Connell may also be a victim of his name, for as a Lions captain the first red card of his career drew sizeable media attention. Neither the trial by photograph, or by television will have done him any favours. However, it seems unlikely that he will face anything like the 16-week ban which was mischievously mooted by the Ospreys forward coach, Jonathan Humphreys, when he compared the incident to one involving Gavin Henson in a Heineken Cup match against Leicester a few seasons ago. In fact, Henson’s misdemeanour was scarcely comparable, and resulted in a 10-week ban.
In the longer-term, Munster are also resigned to losing Paul Warwick, most likely to Stade Francais, from the end of this season. Somewhat surprisingly, Munster only offered the goalkicking utility back a one-year contract at the end of this season.
Province and player reached something of a similar impasse two seasons ago when, because of the IRFU’s reduction in the number of overseas players, he was only offered a one-year contract. Then, a counter-offer of a two-year deal from London Irish was staved off at the last minute when Munster were allowed to offer Warwick a two-year deal to stay.
No such compromise looks likely this time, and it’s a surprise that Munster have only offered such a valuable squad and team player only a one-year extension. Only 29, he would probably have stayed if offered a longer deal as it was his stated ambition to see out his career with Munster.
In his four seasons with Munster, he has been invaluable in stepping in at outhalf when Ronan O’Gara has been unavailable or playing as a strike fullback cum alternate playmaker and goalkicker. As a result, Warwick has played 80 games for Munster and scored 404 points, which will make him hard to replace and explains why Michael Cheika at Stade Francais is an admirer.
