Support for Brennan gathers momentum

On Rugby:On June 1st, Trevor Brennan's appeal against the life ban, and equally punitive financial penalties, imposed on him will be heard by an ERC-appointed independent appeals committee. No one can condone what Brennan did but it is to be hoped that sanity will prevail and that a man who has still so much to offer the game will not be banished from rugby for life like a pariah. He and his extraordinary career deserve a better denouement than that.

To that end, support for Brennan is mounting. Virtually every club in France has signed a petition against the severity of the initial life ban, at the lead of the players' union, Provale. Thousands have also signed the petition. In his five years in France with arguably the best club in the world - a remarkable achievement in itself, unique for any Irishman - he has become an adored figure.

Hundreds of children, and some adults, queued for his autograph after Toulouse's 47-28 win over Bayonne in le Sept Deniers stadium on Saturday. Next Saturday he and others who are bidding adieu to the game, such as the veteran hooker Yannick Bru, will wave goodbye to the Stade Toulousain faithful and a huge reception for the Barnhall Bruiser is assured. Affection for the "warrior" will come across clearly on Hanging With Hector on RTÉ this Thursday. (Watch out for the teapot).

The expressions of sympathy wherever he goes, in the streets, on a Sunday afternoon stroll with his family in the park, in his pub De Danu, are manifold and genuine. Likewise the sense of anger and resentment over the punishment handed out to him, most ably expressed by the legendary former France and Toulouse player Emile Ntamack.

"The end was not right," he said. "In football (Eric) Cantona got nine months, so okay, a one-year ban if you want, but not life. It is not right. You cannot do that to a man who was an example to young players in Ireland, in this country, in the world of rugby. Okay, one year, no problem . . . but after that he should be allowed stay in the game as a trainer; to stay in the family of rugby. You cannot say 'you are out of the family now'. It is not right, and I'm sure the (ERC) appeal court is going to say that and reduce the ban to one year. He has so much to give the game, and maybe to coaching young players, but he cannot get a (coaching) licence now. That is crazy. I am sure they are going to change it."

Despite similar anger and a sense of helplessness at Brennan's plight in Ireland, a campaign has also begun here in support of his appeal at the behest of his home-town club, Barnhall. Ian Morgan, their long-time head coach, has written to all the clubs in Ireland to that end:

"Trevor Brennan Appeal: Dear Rugby Follower, I am writing to you looking for your support for Trevor in his forthcoming appeal against a life ban from rugby. Trevor's rise to the very top of world rugby has been well documented, and unique, and I believe an inspiration to young rugby players from various backgrounds.

"Trevor is a genuine guy who is always willing to help various causes, both on and off the rugby field.

"Trevor loves playing and being involved in rugby and to deny Trevor the right to be involved in rugby for the rest of his life is, I believe a grave injustice not only to Trevor but to genuine rugby people throughout the game.

"Please e-mail your support for Trevor to michael@barnhallrfc.net or write to: Ian Morgan, c/o Barnhall RFC, Parsonstown, Celbridge, Co Kildare.

"Yours in Rugby, Ian Morgan."

Thus far, there have been 500 letters or emails of support to Barnhall, including over 15 clubs. Some of the support has come from as far afield as America and Australia, along with a handful of those expressing little or no sympathy. The figure is sure to mount, and this journalist, a friend of Brennan's, has been contacted by several former Irish internationals and team-mates looking to get in touch with him in Toulouse.

Brennan and the Ulster supporter he punched during that fateful Heineken European Cup match last January, along with those in the vicinity, will forever have their own versions of what chants prompted the Toulouse player to leave the playing area and enter the crowd.

In any event, it constitutes one of the most regrettable episodes of the professional era and whatever the provocation, Brennan should never have done what he did. He knows it, his family know it, but as he says himself: "Why should one minute of madness undo 25 years?"

As regrettable as the incident itself has been the fall-out from it. A flatmate of the London-based Ulster supporter in question approached this journalist at the European Cup semi-final draw two days after the Toulouse-Ulster game seeking to arrange a meeting between Brennan and the supporter. Brennan was more than open to the idea, but sadly events overtook this attempted rapprochement and it never came to pass.

Brennan's legal team of solicitor Donal Spring and lawyer Jim O'Callaghan argued that the ERC hearing should not take place pending both civil and legal action against Brennan as it could prejudice any such case. However, there is little doubt that pressure was brought to bear on the ERC to have the case heard and punishment meted out as swiftly as possible. Certainly the French Federation were pressurised into suspending Brennan pending the ERC hearing by a letter from the International Rugby Board. Brennan was duly suspended until a day before the ERC hearing.

Why did the IRB take such an acute interest in this specific case as above others? Dylan Hartley, the Northampton player, was banned for nine months for gouging three players in separate incidents, but was able to play the following week on appeal.

The IRB took no apparent interest in the case of six Portuguese players detained overnight in a Montevideo jail after a World Cup qualifier, despite the Portuguese Federation backing their players fully.

Perhaps if Brennan had attended the hearing in person and his legal team had put forward their case on his behalf, or if he had not declared his retirement from the game earlier that same week, the ERC appointed disciplinary committee would not have meted out such a severe list of punishments.

Banishing him from the game for life, to the extent that he cannot even play in invitational games for retired players (even for charity) or have any coaching involvement in an ERC-sanctioned game, again questions the game's disciplinary procedures.

He has already declined one invitation this month by Jim Glennon to a tournament in Bahrain. What motivated three men to reach such a decision? By also fining him €25,000 and by ordering Brennan to pay the Ulster supporter in question €5,000, the committee went way beyond its remit. Along with the prevailing confusion over the extent of the ban, thanks to the wording of the judgment, it calls into question the whole procedure.

Brennan is not perfect. None of us are. But football did not banish Cantona and Zinedine Zidane, and rugby should not banish Brennan. Some compassion please, gentlemen.