Following on from here
New Munster chat thread folks. warning deserved there. https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109477571#post109477571
JOD banned for 3 weeks
Jack O’Donoghue suspended for three weeks
The Munster Rugby back row, Jack O’Donoghue, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 3 match against Northampton Saints at Thomond Park.
O’Donoghue was sent off by the referee, Tual Trainini (France), in the 23rd minute of the match for tackling the Northampton Saints second row, David Ribbans, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
Law 9.13 A player must not tackle an opponent dangerously
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Ian Unsworth KC (England), Chair, Nigel Williams (Wales) and Martyn Wood (England) heard submissions from O’Donoghue, who accepted the red card decision, from the Munster Rugby Team Manager, Niall O’Donovan, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that in carrying out the tackle in a dangerous manner, O’Donoghue had made contact with Ribbans’ head. It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
As the player has a clear disciplinary record, and as there were no aggravating factors, it was decided to grant him the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.
O’Donoghue is free to play on Monday, 20 February due to Munster Rugby’s fixture schedule, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 30 January.
Both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
2 weeks it is then. He'll miss Toulouse and Benetton and be back for the Ospreys.
Are the weeks done in terms of fixtures so 3 weeks means 3 matches?
Yes. It's 3 playing weeks.
Frisch was always an outside shout, but I really feel for Haley. I get the logic behind the omission, but he's playing the rugby of his life and you just can't convince me that Ireland will be in better shape for the 6N without him in camp. Irrespective of eventual selections.
There are also more personal, man-management factors to consider. A guy ups his game like he has in the last 6 months, the head coach has to be more overtly responsive. For the sake of both that player's motivations and others' on the periphery.
I completely agree.
If Keenan were to get hurt, Haley is the guy who I would want to see in the Irish 15 shirt, and I would have thought he'd earned the right to be in there to show more.
I think he deserves to be in there ahead of Stockdale, who's form has been poor for Ulster this year.
Did anyone get six nations tickets from the ballot yet?
That's it as well. Haley is the second best full-back in Ireland right now and yet it's still a bit much to just call him up in the case of a Keenan injury and plop him straight into the starting role. There's a dynamic interplay of the wings and full-back in Catt's attacking system, and he'd need to get his reps in.
Game weeks. Another option would be to call him upto the Ireland squad and let him be banned through six nations weeks where Munster aren't playing.
England are releasing Farrell to Saracens the weekend after this one so he serves his ban for saracens instead of England.
No need for any shenanigans. He'll do the coaching intervention course and be available to play on Jan 30th.
Surley everyone knows that only committee members of the MRSC win that particular lottery annually.
I've never been on the MRSC committee and have won 6Ns tickets through their lotto.
or they could just not be happy with how he played and they decided not to pick him in this squad?
i dont have have his book to hand but he mentions it in that, hes mentioned it on virgin media too i think
i also have vague recollection of cullen mentioning similar in an interview when ross byrne dropped out of the squad for the euro knockouts in 17/18 having started a number of the pool games.
So, what kind of a squad do we have to choose from for a 23 that we could field without the Ireland players and players unavailable through suspension and injury, with a 6 day turnaround away to Benetton after Toulouse on Sunday:
Wycherley, N Scannell, Ryan,
O'Connor, Kleyn,
Kendellen, O'Sullivan, Hodnett,
Patterson, Carbery,
Daly, Fekitoa, Frisch, Nash,
Haley.
Replacements: Barron/Buckley, O'Connor, Archer/French, Hurley, ?, Cronin, R Scannell, Coombes/Goggin.
Presumably you won't have Ruadhan Quinn available to bench as he'll be with the Irish U20s.
I would have thought they'd start Scannell ahead of Butler at 10 given how little Butler has featured so far, but interested to see.
Think you've excluded Salanoa too (unless he's hurt)?
Should be more than capable of 5 points against a (presumably depleted) Benetton.
3,5,7,11-15 all arguably first choice.
One other edit on this - presumably you can start Joey Carbery at 10 now instead of Butler?!
So he gets the same as Farrell... Ok then
Think they may need to release Quinn or O'Connell for this unless someone comes back from injury. In the back 5; Ahern, Daly, Snyman, McDonald, Kelly, Wycherly, Edogbo and Okeke are out injured. Byrne, Coombs, O'Mahony, O'Connell and Quinn are on international duty and O'Donoghue is suspended. That leaves Kleyn, O'Connor, Hodnett, Kendellan, O'Sullivan and Hurley left to cover the 7 match day back 5 spots. Even the two sub academy guys Gleason and Sheehen are away with the 20's too.
On out half I assume Carbury will start
Salanoa is injured at present
I’m just wondering, if stuck for a back row, could Chris Moore be played as a back row replacement perhaps, he hasn’t featured so far so he could be given a chance there to show something.
Or for that matter, Buckley could too.
There are surely a few guys in the AIL that could sub in too.
May as well having him cover tight head too. Might be better than he is at 10!
Presume they meant Tom Court?
Hasnt played backrow in a good while so would be very surprised if he did move back.
Not that easy to just say theres guys in AIL able to step up. Players suitable. readily available etc etc
If you're talking about players upping their game then Jean Kleyn continues to be hard done by.
So Tony Buckley is a two-tour Lion who can cover 10.
(I may have sped-read the last few posts...)
If none of the injured second rows return then Jack O'Sullivan will more than likely come in to the 23 with Coombes again covering the row.
There were a lot of guys involved against Wasps last season, maybe one of those would be suitable and available
Coombes will be with Ireland, was discussing the Benetton match
Salanoa isn't injured at present. He's carrying a knock, but hasn't been ruled out for this weekend.
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