Paul O’Connell appeal dismissed by ERC

Paul O’Connell’s appeal against the four week ban issued to him for foul play during Munster’s Heineken Cup clash with the Ospreys on December 12 has been dismissed by the ERC.

In a disciplinary hearing which was held by conference call earlier today, the ERC decided to stick with the original punishment handed down to O’Connell, which deemed O’Connell guilty of foul play, but acknowledged that he had no intent to injure Ospreys back row forward Jonathan Thomas in what was only O’Connell’s second game back after a nine month injury lay off.

The ERC handed down a four week ban, which ruled O’Connell out of all of Munster’s Magners League matches over the Christmas period, but made him available for the province’s Heineken Cup clash with Toulon next month.

Munster had been hoping that the length of the suspension might be reduced so that O’Connell could get some much needed game time before the crunch clash with the French side.

Munster ran the risk of losing O’Connell for a longer spell than four weeks, but the ERC have decided to stick with their original punishment and the Irish international second row will be available to play again from 10 January next year.

The ERC released a statement on the matter this evening which read:

“The independent Appeal Committee appointed to hear the appeal brought by Munster player Paul O’Connell has dismissed the player's appeal.

“The Appeal Hearing was held by conference call today (Thursday, 22 December, 2010). Mr. O’Connell appealed against both the finding of foul play and the four-week sanction imposed at an independent Disciplinary Hearing as a result of the red card he received during the Heineken Cup Pool 3 match against the Ospreys at Thomond Park on Sunday, 12 December, 2010.

“At the independent Disciplinary Hearing on 16 December, 2010, the independent Judicial Officer, HHJ Jeff Blackett (England), upheld the red card and determined that the act had been deliberate but that there had been no intention to injure.

“The independent Appeal Committee, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar (Scotland) and also comprising Rod McKenzie (Scotland) and Simon Thomas (Wales) heard submissions from Mr. O’Connell, his solicitor, Donal Spring, and from ERC Disciplinary Officer, Roger O’Connor. The Committee found that Mr. O’Connell had not demonstrated that the original decision had been in error or that it should be overturned or varied, and therefore dismissed the appeal.

“Mr. O’Connell will be free to play from 10 January, 2011, as per the original decision.”