John Hayes handed six-week suspension

MUNSTER rugby will await the written copy of the IRFU disciplinary panel in the coming days before deciding whether to appeal against the six-week suspension imposed on prop John Hayes in Belfast yesterday.


The ban, as it stands, will prevent Hayes from playing in Munster’s opening two fixtures in the Heineken Cup as well as two fixtures in the Magners League.
Hayes was red-carded in the 54th minute of Munster’s Magners League tie with Leinster at the RDS on Saturday following a stamp on prop Cian Healy.
An IRFU statement issued last night read: “Having studied the match footage and heard all available evidence, the three-man IRFU disciplinary panel of chairman Hugh Logan, assisted by Stephen Hilditch and Neil Jackson, confirmed that the offence constituted a high end entry level in terms of sanctions.
“Having also considered all mitigating factors, the panel imposed a six-week suspension from the date of the offence on Saturday, October 3 up to and including Saturday, November 14.”
Cappamore man Hayes attended the hearing held in Ravenhill accompanied by team manager Shaun Payne and legal advisor Donal Spring.
Afterwards, in a statement issued through team manager Payne, Hayes expressed his disappointment with the decision.
Payne’s statement read: “John (Hayes) regrets the incident happened at all.
“He has a long and unblemished professional rugby career spanning twelve seasons and would not be regarded by anybody including opponents as being a dirty player.
“He is very disappointed with the sanction, given that the committee accepted the action wasn’t intentional yet decided the entry point for the offence to be at the higher range, the nine weeks reduced to six in mitigation.”
Hayes has had an impeccable disciplinary record through a long and distinguished career which has seen him play more than 300 games for Bruff, Shannon, Munster, Ireland and the Lions.
The six-week suspension will result in John Hayes missing four games for Munster, the two opening round Heineken Cup pool matches away to Northampton on Saturday and at home to Benetton Treviso a week later. Thirty-five-year-old Hayes will also be unavailable for the away Magners League game against Edinburgh on October 23 and the home game against Ulster eight days later. John Hayes’ suspension is due to end on Saturday November 14, the day before Ireland play their first fixture in the autumn international series against Australia.
Munster will wait until they have received the written copy of the decision before deciding whether or not to appeal.
Munster’s sole focus now will be on Saturday’s opening round Heineken Cup Pool 1 clash away to the Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens (6pm).
Coach Tony McGahan will be looking for a big response from his players in the wake of their embarrassing 30-point defeat to Leinster in the Magners League last weekend. Munster’s first round opponent Northampton also come into Saturday’s tie on the back of a loss.
The Saints went under to London Wasps in the English Guinness Premiership.
With captain Paul O’Connell, Jerry Flannery and David Wallace successfully coming through their first appearances of the season on Saturday, it seems certain that coach McGahan will make several changes to his starting line-up for the tie with Northampton.
Back-row forwards Denis Leamy and Alan Quinlan are also available to play having recovered from minor injuries.

COLM KINSELLA

Hayes prepares for disciplinary hearing

PROP John Hayes will appear before an independent disciplinary hearing in Belfast tomorrow following his red-carding in Munster’s embarrassing Magners League defeat to old rivals Leinster at the RDS.
Hayes, who boasts an exemplary disciplinary record, was red-carded by referee Simon McDowell in the 57th minute of Saturday evening’s game on the advice of one of his touch judges for an alleged stamp on Leinster prop Cian Healy as he lay underneath a Munster maul.
Thirty-five-year-old Hayes will be accompanied to the IRFU’s independent disciplinary hearing in Belfast tomorrow by Munster manager Shaun Payne and a legal representative.
Cappamore man John Hayes, Ireland’s most capped international, had never been sent off during a career spanning close on two decades with Bruff, Shannon, Munster and Ireland.
Props Hayes and Healy did speak about the incident following Saturday night’s game.
Munster lock Donncha O’Callaghan said that while he did not see the red-carding incident, he stressed the Limerick man’s reputation as an honest, disciplined player.
“I didn’t see the incident. I knew Cian (Healy) was trying to pull down the maul, but I think we all know Hayes. You could not come across a more honest, disciplined fellow,” O’Callaghan said.
“It was nothing like him. I know the maul was being pulled down and Cian had a chat with him.
“John Hayes is an impeccable character. It was embarrassing for him to go off like that, but you know him lads, it was nothing like him.”
While Hayes’ hearing is of most immediate concern to Munster coach Tony McGahan, the side’s dismal showing against Leinster and this Saturday’s mammoth Heineken Cup opening round tie away to the Northampton Saints will also be occupying his thoughts.
Saturday’s shut-out was the first occasion Munster had failed to register a point in a competitive fixture since the province’s 9-0 loss to Leinster in 1971.
It was also Munster’s heaviest ever defeat in the Magners League, topping the 26-point loss to Ulster from last January.
Bitterly disappointed Munster coach Tony McGahan said the side needed to get back to basics as the focus now switches to Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with the Northampton Saints at Franklins Gardens (6pm).
“The biggest thing for us is to get back to basics and put a few core principals of our game back together,” Tony McGahan said.
“It has been a disrupted start to the season.
“We have a few players who have not had a lot of game time.
“Getting continuity to the play is certainly a concern. We need to go back to the drawing board and get a response this week.”
Meanwhile, in the AIB All-Ireland League, an 87th minute drop goal from Garryowen out-half Willie Staunton helped the ‘light blues’ secure a dramatic 12-10 victory over city rivals and holders Shannon at Dooradoyle on Friday night.
UL Bohemian made a disappointing start to their Division 1A campaign after suffering a 8-3 home defeat to Blackrock College at Thomond Park.
In-form Young Munster made a winning start in Division 1B when recording a deserved 23-3 victory over Buccaneers at Clifford Park.
In Division 1B both Thomond and Bruff picked up bonus points in registering impressive opening day victories, but there was no joy for Old Crescent on their long trip to Belfast where Harlequins gained the spoils.

Colm Kinsella

Hayes could start against the Springboks on Saturday

IRELAND’S record-breaking prop John Hayes is in contention to start for the British & Irish Lions in Saturday’s third Test showdown against the Springboks at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.
With Welsh tighthead Adam Jones ruled out of the game through injury, either Hayes or England’s Phil Vickery appear most likely to start in the front-row for the tourists.
Versatile Munster star Keith Earls will also come into contention for a place on the bench at least should Brian O’Driscoll, who suffered concussion, or wrist injury victim Jamie Roberts, fail to recover in time.
South African back-row Schalk Burger has been banned for eight weeks by the International Rugby Board for eye-gouging British & Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald at the start of Saturday’s second Test at the Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Schalk Burger was sin-binned in the first minute of the game, which his side won to seal the series, and was cited afterwards.
Springbok Bakkies Botha will miss the weekend’s last Test after being banned for two weeks for dangerous charging.
Lions prop Adam Jones was left with a dislocated shoulder after the incident.
Botha and Burger attended the hearing in Pretoria yesterday, a day after their side took an unassailable two-nil lead in the series following a thrilling 28-25 victory.
As they digested the disappointment of a shattering loss, the British & Irish Lions squad headed off on safari to Entabeni Game Reserve, north of Johannesburg, for a break before resuming rugby activity tomorrow.
Replacement out-half Morne Steyn came off the bench to kick South Africa to victory after Ronan O’Gara was guilty of giving away the crucial penalty late on.
O’Gara was judged to have clipped Fourie du Preez in the air as he jumped to collect a kick and Steyn landed a stunning penalty goal from all of 53 metres.
“I think the players genuinely deserve to be in the position to play for a series next week and we are not,” British & Irish Lions head coach Ian McGeechan said.
“That is very disappointing. In the end it is only the rub of the green that hasn’t given us one or two results.
“But I am hugely proud of what we have achieved and we will have the same approach going into the third Test.”
Ian McGeechan pleaded for the British & Irish Lions to be given the time to prepare properly for future tours so they can remain competitive.
The Lions head coach thinks the current trip to South Africa has resulted in “some of the best rugby ever”, despite his side’s series defeat.
But he believes officials from the home unions and domestic competitions must adjust the season for future Lions tours.
Just six weeks after they signed off on last season, the first of the Munster squad members assembled today to begin their preparations for the 2009-10 campaign.
Players not involved with the Lions and Churchill Cup squads assembled earlier today in their respective Cork and Limerick gyms to begin their pre-season training.
All those senior internationals will be joined by Academy, Development squaddies and players involved in the recent Churchill Cup success on Monday, July 13.
Munster Lions’ contingent return to pre-season training three weeks later.
Former Garryowen hooker Damien Varley returns to Munster having spent a season with London Wasps.
Varley and his new teammates’ first away trip together will be in the first week of August when they head to Portugal for a week-long pre-season training camp.
On their return the Munster squad members begin their series of pre-season friendlies, facing the Sale Sharks at Musgrave Park on August 14, London Irish at the same venue seven days later, before travelling to Welford Road to tackle the Leicester Tigers on August 28. The Magners League begins on the first weekend of September.

Colm Kinsella

Hayes set to equal record

RESILIENT prop John Hayes is set to equal Anthony Foley’s record number of appearances in the Heineken Cup when Munster host the Ospreys in their quarter-final clash this Sunday at Thomond Park (1pm).


Hayes, who received a huge ovation from the capacity crowd when initially substituted during the second half of Saturday night’s Magners League win over Leinster, is in line to make his 86th appearance in the Heineken Cup on Easter Sunday.
Thirty-five-year-old Hayes made his Heineken Cup debut against Petrarca Rugby in September 1998.
Heineken Cup holders Munster will hit the Heineken Cup century mark when they collide with the Ospreys in the mammoth quarter-final tie - the defending champions are competing in the quarter-final stage of the competition for a record 11th successive season. Sunday’s game will be refereed by English official Wayne Barnes.
Coach Tony McGahan is predicting a ‘magic day’ as Munster join fellow European giants Toulouse in cracking the Heineken Cup 100-match barrier: “We have reached the stage of the Heineken Cup where it is all or nothing - if you don’t perform in the 80 minutes of a knock-out game you are out.
“It was always our intention to be competitive in both the Heineken Cup and the domestic league and to have both dreams still alive at this stage of the season is excellent. It was a fantastic result against Leinster in a very attritional match and to win an important game like that going into this huge weekend was just what we needed.”
Meanwhile the automated turnstiles will not be in use for the next two matches at Thomond Park due to a number of issues which arose regarding access into the stadium for Munster’s Magners League clash with Leinster.
Stadium Director John Cantwell said: “We would like to acknowledge that there were a number of issues that arose regarding access into Thomond Park stadium at last Saturday’s match against Leinster.
“We, Munster Rugby and Thomond Park Stadium, would like to apologise to anyone who was inconvenienced and affected by this.
“There were a number of contributing factors, however following a review over the weekend and today we have identified that the automated access procedure (automated Turnstiles) are creating a bottleneck which is contributing to a significant proportion of the problem.
“We have therefore decided not to use the automated turnstiles for the next two matches in Thomond Park Stadium and will revert to staff-operated hand held scanners controlling access through the turnstiles.
“This decision has been taken in order to improve the efficiency of access on match days whilst we undertake a full review of the automated system both internally and with our suppliers.”
Supporters arriving for Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final and the Magners League tie with Connacht six days later have been asked to arrive at least one hour before kick-off time to ensure that all ticket holders are processed in an orderly and efficient manner.
Meanwhile the third annual Munster Rugby Awards will take place on Saturday, April 25 in Thomond Park.
Eleven diverse categories will be honoured, ranging from Munster Player and Young Player of the Year through to up and coming Academy talent, women’s rugby, referees, schools and clubs.
Members of the Munster Rugby team have nominated four players for the prestigious Munster Player of the Year Award - John Hayes, Paul O’Connell, Niall Ronan and David Wallace.
The winner will be chosen by the awards panel of judges with a public vote also taken into account.

Colm Kinsella

John Hayes is an example to us all

ALL eyes will be on John Hayes this week. Normally you might expect an international prop to embody the brooding demeanour of an off-duty assassin, but in person Cappamore’s favourite son is quiet, friendly and all the talk of Ireland’s most capped player will probably bring the hint of an embarrassed blush to the face of the 35-year-old.


Fuss isn’t John Hayes’ thing; he takes the art of self-effacement to new levels - when Munster won the Heineken Cup in 2006 he dodged the celebrations and watched Declan Kidney’s players tour around Limerick from the comfort of his sitting room.
But Hayes will find fuss hard to avoid this week. Against England he equaled Malcolm O’Kelly’s Irish caps record (92) and he will surpass it against Scotland to become Ireland’s most-capped player in international rugby history.
Hayes has only missed 11 of Ireland’s last 103 international tests, if he plays against Wales in Cardiff he will surpass Fabien Pelous’ all-time record of 48 appearances in the Six Nations and he will draw level with Anthony Foley as the joint-record holder for most appearances in the Heineken Cup if he plays a part in the quarter-final clash with the Ospreys.
Then there’s the career highlights: helping Munster to Heineken Cup glory (twice), the Triple Crowns and Shannon’s string of All-Ireland League titles.

Only tells half the story
Such highlights however only tell half of the John Hayes story.
John was intrigued by rugby after watching the 1991 World Cup and a year later, at the age of 19 in September 1992, he played his first game in the back-row for Bruff against Newcastle West - a 0-0 draw.
Hayes had gingerly stepped onto a rugby field like a man easing himself into a canoe, but found he liked it.
Hayes played a handful of games for Bruff in ’92 before moving to the Shannon under-20s and under the nose of Niall O’Donovan who played a critical part in his development.
His next move was to play for Marist in Invercargill, New Zealand. The Kiwis transformed Hayes from a welder who played rugby into a rugby player who welded. Marist also moved him from the second row to prop forward - when the RFU decided to permit lifting in the line-out everything changed for the Cappamore man.
When he returned to Ireland Hayes slotted into the Shannon front-row and was soon packing down in the colours of Munster.
He helped the Parish to the 1998 AIL title and next thing he knew he was called into the Irish squad for the summer tour to South Africa, he was too green for the ’99 World Cup, but he made his debut for Ireland against Scotland the following year.

Unfair criticism
Like a gopher in the garden, the notion that John Hayes isn’t good at what he does, keeps popping its nose up out of the dirt. It’s a pesky rodent which requires a whack in the skull.
His critics suggest he is too tall to be a prop and that he can’t scrummage. To ask a player of John Hayes’ size to play at number three is asking for trouble and he has had his off days in rugby’s most demanding and most technical position - indeed the true horror of the scrum cannot be grasped by those who have never faced one. But a bulldozer wouldn’t budge John Hayes in a scrum now; you could take a lump hammer onto the field and not get anything off him. If, in May 2006, Hayes had not held his ground in a vital scrum against Biarritz in the Heineken Cup final Peter Stringer could not have stolen in to score his crucial try.
John Hayes can also run forever, he’s an awesome rucker, one of the best defensive props in the game and the best lineout lifter in the world - remember the 2008 Six Nations: against Italy at Lansdowne Road Paul O’Connell stole an Italian throw which led to Jerry Flannery’s try. The remarkable thing about that score is that John Hayes lifted O’Connell all by his lonesome.

Looking everyone in the eye
Questions used to follow John Hayes around, but now he can look everyone in the eye. He has been through the mill and come out with a high polish. If there’s one man Ireland can’t do without it’s John Hayes, he’s indispensable - God help Ireland if John Hayes twists a ankle out herding his 150 acres some evening.
A question is often asked about sporting prowess: how much is success down to perseverance as opposed to natural talent?
Since the same question can be asked of life in general, the answers might provide some clues as to how much of our destinies are in our own hands. More profound is the whole issue of whether we could have achieved more, if only we had tried harder. When you watch someone like Brian O’Driscoll perform brilliantly it’s actually reassuring to think that we could never have competed with them, but the argument doesn’t follow that we could not have competed at a high level.
Natural talent is just one ingredient of success and not always the most important one. In fact most sports feature notable examples of people like John Hayes whose hard work has enabled them to overachieve.
If effort and determination can separate the very good and exceptional, can it also make the difference between being mediocre and being able to compete at a high level?
It’s peculiar that some people often seem to rejoice (at least a little) when an average player fails to make the grade. It’s as if it confirms what perhaps many secretly fear: that our own failures are not down to what life has presented us with in terms of talent, but instead our inability to make the most of it.
At the launch of his rugby career John Hayes was known as the calf, then the bullock and now the bull.
That progression is a sporting example to us all.

Brian McDonnell