Leo Cullen disappointed with Cian Healy suspension

Leinster coach Leo Cullen has expressed disappointment with the two week suspension of Cian Healy. The Ireland prop, following a ruling by an independent disciplinary hearing in London, will miss today's interprovincial derby against Connacht after being cited for striking Toulon hooker Guilhem Guirado with his knee in round three of the Champions Cup.

In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer Jeremy Summers (England), decided that Healy had committed a “reckless act of foul play” but found that the offence was at the low end of so handed down a three week ban. Summers reduced the sanction by one week taking into account the player’s “good character and good conduct during the hearing.” The suspension lasts until Monday, January 11th.

Healy was originally handed a two-week suspension, but on December 23rd an independent appeal committee ruled the citing should be reheard by a judicial officer as he was incorrectly cited. Either way he was expected to miss Leinster’s game against Connacht with a knee injury.

It does mean, if fit, that he will be available for Leinster’s Champions Cup dead games versus Bath and Wasps.

“It’s very unhelpful to say the very least. It’s been a tough situation for us,” said Cullen. “I said at the time I didn’t feel it was a yellow card, I didn’t think it was a penalty. He’s obviously had to face a charge. I feel the Toulon hooker Guirado rolled into the gate and I feel his actions were reckless. If players roll into the gate or the back of the tackle there is going to be bodies arriving to clean out that breakdown. That’s a fact.

“I felt it compromised the team and Cian’s preparation into Toulon the following week, the fact that he had to go to Paris, but that’s just a fact of life. We need to get on with it now.

“We felt, for a tough game against Connacht, we needed clarity going into the game so Cian wasn’t named as we felt it did compromise us going into that Toulon game.”

Class operator

Cullen also commented on Ian Madigan’s confirmed move to Bordeaux Begles next summer on a two year deal.

"I've been talking to Ian over the past few months and it is disappointing. Ian showed [against Munster last Sunday in Limerick] that he is a class operator. It's been a little bit frustrating for him I would imagine. We wish him well. Maybe Mads will play for Leinster again sometime down the road. I hope it goes well for him.

“We still feel he has a massive part to play for Leinster this season.”

Meanwhile, Munster are seeking to avoid the worst losing streak in their history against Ulster in Belfast on Saturday. The last time they lost five in a row was in 2003.

Ulster: L Ludik, A Trimble, L Marshall, S McCloskey, R Scholes, P Jackson, R Pienaar; K McCall, R Best (capt), W Herbst, L Stevenson, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams. Replacements: R Herring, C Black, R Lutton, A O’Connor, R Wilson, P Marshall, I Humphreys, S Arnold.

Munster: Andrew Conway; Ronan O’Mahony, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino; Ian Keatley, Tomás O’Leary; Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, BJ Botha; Dave Foley, Mark Chisholm; Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander (capt). Replacements: Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Mario Sagario, Billy Holland, Robin Copeland, Duncan Williams, Tyler Bleyendaal, Denis Hurley.

MUNSTER’S PREVIOUS WORST LOSING RUN

5th September 2003 - Munster 12 Llanelli Scarlets 19 (Celtic League)

12th September 2003 - Ospreys 33 Munster 26 (Celtic League)

3rd October 2003 - Glasgow 18 Munster 14 (Celtic Cup)

10th October 2003 - Munster 15 Ulster 16 (Celtic League)

17th October 2003 -Dragons 29 Munster 6 (Celtic League)

MUNSTER’S CURRENT LOSING RUN

28th November - Munster 12 Connacht 18 (Pro12)

5th December - Dragons 22 Munster 6 (Pro12)

12th December - Munster 19 Leicester Tigers 31 (Champions Cup)

20th December - Leicester Tigers 17 Munster 6 (Champions Cup)

27th December - Munster 7 Leinster 24 (Pro12)