Alan Quinlan appeal will be heard

ALAN Quinlan’s appeal against the 12-week ban which threatens his participation in the Lions tour to South Africa will be heard in Glasgow tomorrow.
An independent appeal committee, chaired by Scotland’s Professor Lorne Crerar and consisting of fellow Scot Rod McKenzie and HHJ Jeff Blackett of England, will hear Alan Quinlan’s appeal.


The original independent disciplinary committee found the Munster flanker guilty of making contact with the eye area of Leinster’s Leo Cullen during their Heineken Cup semi-final clash earlier this month. The independent disciplinary committee determined that the offence was at the low-range of the level of seriousness for an offence of this type.
Should the 12-week suspension stand Quinlan will not be eligible to resume playing before September 10.
Lions’ head coach Ian McGeechan and tour manager Gerald Davies yesterday explained that they will not stand in the way of Quinlan’s intended appeal. McGeechan announced that he did know who would replace the Irishman if his appeal was dismissed. It is believed that Leicester and England back-row Tom Croft will be called up to the tour.
The 2009 British & Irish Lions gathered together for the first time yesterday at Pennyhill Park, Surrey as preparations for the 10-match tour of South Africa continued with the start of a week-long training camp.
The camp included six Munster players, team captain Paul O’Connell, hooker Gerry Flannery, versatile back Keith Earls, flanker David Wallace, out-half Ronan O’Gara and lock Donncha O’Callaghan.
The Lions depart for South Africa on Sunday next with their first tour match taking place six days later against a Royal XV in Rustenberg.
The tourists then play a further five provincial fixtures before taking on the world champion the Springboks in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg on June 20, 27 and July 4 respectively.
Tour captain Paul O’Connell said that creating the unique team spirit associated with the Lions will play a key role both in the run up to departure for South Africa and during the tour itself: “First and foremost, the talent is here.
“The coaching staff have very good ideas on how we want to play and how we want to perform. I think all those bits are going to be ticked off so it’s about us coming together as a team.
“We don’t have a lengthy time frame so we don’t have time to suss each other out. We really have to work on coming together as a team in a short space of time. If we can do that then we’ll have a very good chance in South Africa.”
McGeechan also announced that he will not be naming a replacement for Welsh centre Tom Shanklin who was ruled out of the tour through injury almost a fortnight ago.

Colm Kinsella