INTERNATIONAL NEWS:JAMIE HEASLIP watched the rest of his Ireland team-mates being put through their paces by coach Declan Kidney at Carton House yesterday. The number eight's absence from the pitch is down to the sprained ankle he sustained in the 20-16 victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday.
He managed to finish the game in London so his enforced rest is just a precaution nine days out from the next Six Nations game against Wales at Croke Park. Brian O’Driscoll, who was taken off on a stretcher after his head collided with Paul O’Connell’s knee in the English match, took a full part in training.
He was cleared to resume playing after successfully completing a mandatory cognitive test. Any player suffering head trauma must undergo the process. Players complete a cognitive test prior to the start of the season and those results are compared to the outcome of any further testing following a head injury.
Andrew Trimble, who replaced O’Driscoll during the victory over England, and provincial team-mate Paddy Wallace trained with the starting Ireland team from Twickenham, minus Heaslip.
According to an IRFU spokesperson they will, however, be available to Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin for tomorrow night’s Magners League game against the Scarlets in Wales.
Leicester Tigers wing Johne Murphy also took part in the session having secured a release from his club who do not require his services for this weekend’s Guinness Premiership clash with London Irish. The Ireland team will train again today – they’re using the same facility as Real Madrid when the Spanish side based themselves at the Kildare venue – before reconvening in Killiney on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery’s hopes of having a six-week ban reduced on appeal were dashed in London yesterday.
He received the suspension for a wild lunge on French wing Alexis Palisson during the recent game in Paris.
Flannery travelled to a hotel at Heathrow airport with Ireland team manager Paul McNaughton and solicitor Pat Barriscale where his plea for a reduced sentence was heard by an independent Six Nations appeal committee, chaired by Judge Jeff Blackett (England) and sitting alongside Douglas Hunter (Scotland) and Marco Cordelli (Italy).
The committee considered the submissions made by and on behalf of Flannery, together with the cross-appeal made by the Six Nations Disciplinary Officer, Jon Davies. The findings were released in a statement which read: “The appeal lodged by Jerry Flannery against the extent of his six-week sanction for kicking an opponent in the RBS Six Nations match between France and Ireland has been dismissed.
“The appeal committee upheld the original disciplinary committee’s finding that the act of foul play was in the mid-range of offending defined by IRB Regulation 17 and that the level of net mitigation applied was within the correct margin of appreciation.”
Flannery will be free to play in Munster’s Magners League game against Leinster at Thomond Park on Friday, April 2nd.
