O’Callaghan banned for kick

Editor

Donncha O’Callaghan, the Munster lock, has been handed a two-week ban for kicking Ulster back Stuart Olding.

O’Callaghan appeared before an independent disciplinary committee in Glasgow on Tuesday, having been cited by an independent citing commissioner for allegedly kicking an opponent early in the second half of the Guinness Pro12 match between Munster and Ulster at Thomond Park on Friday.

The disciplinary committee, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar, along with Roddy Dunlop and Iain Goodall (all Scotland), 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.

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 four-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.