O'Driscoll cleared but Leamy cited for alleged stamping

RUGBY: There were mixed tidings for Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan ahead of Saturday's Six Nations Championship match against France at Stade de France with the news that captain and centre Brian O'Driscoll had been cleared by the citing commissioner, Scotland's Rob Flockhart, but number eight Denis Leamy had a case to answer.

The two Irish players, along with an unnamed Italian player widely reported in the media as replacement prop Martin Leandro Castrogiovanni, were reported for incidents arising out of last Saturday's Six Nations game between Ireland and Italy at Lansdowne Road.

Italian coach Pierre Berbizier singled out O'Driscoll after the match as having stamped but Flockhart, on reviewing the tapes, decided he had no case to answer.

Unofficially, the perception is the Irish captain makes a motion with his foot that is down and back, ie rucking, rather than stamping on the prone player.

Leamy has been cited for an incident involving Italian scrumhalf Paul Griffen that took place in the 75th minute. The official statement read: "Denis Leamy, the Ireland number eight forward, has been cited following an alleged stamping incident in the RBS 6 Nations Championship match between Ireland and Italy at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, February 4th. The player's hearing will be held in London on Wednesday, February 8th."

It was also announced that Flockhart will take additional time, under new IRB Regulation 17.9.14, to establish whether there is a case to answer for an alleged biting of the arm of Ireland flanker Simon Easterby in the same match.

"The regulation permits further investigation to identify the player concerned in circumstances where a player has not been cited within the time period specified, in this case 50 hours after the match kicked-off," the statement read.

The latter refers to an alleged biting incident in which Easterby was reportedly assaulted. He drew the attention of the referee but the official saw nothing, so couldn't act.

Flockhart has examined video and stills footage of the incident and while the red mark is visible there is no proof as to who administered the bite. Unless Ireland can supply additional footage that singles out the perpetrator, the case cannot proceed.

Leamy, certain to be named in the Ireland side to take on France, will travel to London tomorrow, probably in the company of O'Sullivan to attend the hearing.

There was a touch of irony in that on the day when this allegation was made against the Munster player, a previous case in which he was the victim resulted in an 18-week ban for Sale Sharks wing Epi Taione.

Taione was cited after Sale's Heineken European Cup defeat to Munster on January 21st and appeared before an independent disciplinary committee in London yesterday at which he pleaded guilty to the biting charge.

The panel heard submissions from both European Cup organisers European Rugby Cup and Taione before ruling the appropriate entry-point for sanctions was a six-month ban.

After considering "various compelling mitigating factors"' Taione received an 18-week suspension. He will miss the rest of this season and will not be free to play again until Monday, June 12th.