Flannery Appeal To Be Heard Next Wednesday
ERC (European Rugby Cup) have confirmed that Munster hooker Jerry Flannery’s appeal against an eight-week ban will be heard in Dublin next Wednesday (February 6).
An independent Appeal Committee will convene in Dublin next Wednesday to hear the appeal lodged by Jerry Flannery, the Munster hooker, against the decision of an independent Disciplinary Committee.
The independent Appeal Committee will be chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar (Scotland) and also comprise HHJ Jeff Blackett (England) and Russell Howell (Wales).
The original independent Disciplinary Committee found Flannery guilty of stamping on Clermont Auvergne flanker Julien Bonnaire during the sides’ Heineken Cup Pool 5 clash at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin on January 13.
The Committee determined that the offence was of top end in the level of seriousness and having taken into account any mitigating and aggravating factors the Committee suspended Flannery for a period of eight weeks up to and including Wednesday, March 19 – thus ruling him out of the entire Six Nations.
Munster Rugby confirmed last Wednesday that they would be lodging an appeal against the decision.
The province’s Chief Executive Garrett Fitzgerald said: “After further consideration of the incident, having again spoken to the player, having again studied the video of the incident and taken legal advice, we feel obliged to appeal the findings of the Disciplinary Committee.
“We do accept that his (Flannery’s) boot did make contact but we are fully satisfied that the action was not deliberate.”