IT WAS A good news-bad news day for Munster today, with a quartet of players signing new deals but with veteran second row Donncha O’Callaghan picking up a two week suspension that rules him out of the back-to back Champions Cup fixtures against Clermont.
O’Callaghan was alleged to have kicked Olding during a ruck against Ulster at Thomond Park on Friday night.
“The disciplinary committee, having reviewed video footage of the incident and having listened to representations from, and on behalf of, the player, found that the player had committed an act of foul play and upheld the citing complaint,” The Pro12 disciplinary committee said in a statement this evening.
“In determining sanction, the disciplinary committee’s view was that the player’s actions had been reckless, that the primary contact with the opponent had been on his shoulder and chest area, and that in terms of seriousness the player’s actions were at the lower end of World Rugby’s sanctions for foul play, which carries a 4 week entry-point suspension.
“In light of compelling mitigation factors, including the player’s unblemished and long playing career, together with his conduct at the hearing, the disciplinary committee determined that the player should be suspended from playing for a period of two weeks, up to and including Sunday, 14 December 2014.”
