Jennings Appeal To Be Heard Today
An independent appeal committee will convene in Dublin today (Thursday) to hear an appeal lodged by Leinster flanker Shane Jennings against the 12-week suspension imposed on him by an independent judicial officer.
The independent appeal committee will be chaired by Christopher Quinlan (England) and will also comprise Rod McKenzie (Scotland) and Jean-Noel Couraud (France).
Shane Jennings appeared before an independent Judicial Officer, Roger Morris (Wales), on Wednesday last week, having been cited by the Citing Commissioner for the match, Richard McGhee (Scotland), for an incident in the Leinster v London Irish Heineken Cup pool match.
The independent judicial officer found Jennings guilty of an act contrary to good sportsmanship in contravention of Law 10.4 (l) in that he made contact with the eye or eye area of Nick Kennedy (London Irish).
The judicial officer determined that the act was in the low-end in the level of seriousness for an offence of that type and having taken into account any mitigating and aggravating factors he suspended the player for a period of 12 weeks, running up to and including January 6, 2010.
Under IRB Regulation 17 and the ERC Heineken Cup Disciplinary Rules, the recommended sanction entry point for a low-end offence of contact with eye or eye area is 12 weeks.