Ireland announce team

Posted on Feb 9, 2010 in Rugby News

Ireland Coach Declan Kidney has named the team to play France in the second game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship in Paris on Saturday. Keith Earls has been selected on the left wing in place of Andrew Trimble.  Donncha O’Callaghan has not recovered from the injury that ruled him out of the opening game. Leo Cullen has been named to start in the second row.

A vacancy has been left blindside flanker pending confirmation of the fitness of Stephen Ferris. Both players took part in training with the Ireland team today but a final decision will be made on Thursday. The seven replacements will also be finalised on Thursday from the possible nine players named today.
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Ireland make eight changes for Fiji game

Posted on Nov 17, 2009 in Rugby News

There are eight changes to the Ireland team that drew 20-20 with Australia to the side that will take on Fiji this weekend in the second game of the 2009 Guinness Series.

The game, which will be the first ever international to take place in the Royal Dublin Society grounds, sees five changes to the backline and three in the pack.

Keith Earls, who replaced the injured Luke Fitzgerald against Australia, retains his place on the left wing with Shane Horgan coming in on the right wing for Tommy Bowe.

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Hayes sentence reduced

Posted on Oct 14, 2009 in Rugby News

An Irish Rugby Football Union Appeals Committee held a hearing Last night in relation to the recent suspension of Munster player John Hayes following an appeal made by Munster Rugby.

John Hayes received a red card under law 10.4 (b) during the Leinster v Munster Magners League game on Saturday, 3rd October 2009 for a stamp on Leinster player Cian Healy in the 54th minute of the game. Following a disciplinary hearing, Hayes was suspended for a period of six weeks from the date of the offence up to and including Saturday, 14th November.

The appeal panel was chaired by Billy Glynn, Chairman of the IRFU Appeals Committee, and he was assisted by Leo Galvin and George Spotswood.

The IRFU appeals panel considered the grounds for appeal by Munster Rugby and allowed one further weeks mitigation based upon the record of the player. The reduction on the intial period of suspension means that Hayes is now suspended from the date of the offence for 5 weeks up to and including Saturday, 7th November.

Hayes gets six week suspension

Posted on Oct 7, 2009 in Rugby News

The IRFU Disciplinary Panel hearing held yesterday to consider the red card issued to Munster player John Hayes during the Leinster v Munster Magners League game on Saturday, 3rd October 2009, awarded a six week suspension to Hayes. This allow Hayes to be available for the November international series – the suspension ending the day before Ireland play Australia in Croke Park.

The offence was regarded as “high end” and as such should have received an eight week or higher suspension, up to a maximum of one year, but the panel considered mitigating factors such as Hayes exemplary disciplinary record which stretches back to the mid nineties sufficient to allow them to reduce it.

John Hayes received a red card under law 10.4 (b) for a stamp on Leinster player Cian Healy in the 54th minute of the game. The hearing took place in the Ulster Branch offices in Ravenhill, Belfast at 4.00pm. The IRFU Panel consisted of Hugh Logan (Chairman) who was assisted by Stephen Hilditch and Neil Jackson.

Having studied the match footage and heard all available evidence, the disciplinary panel 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, 3rd October up to and including Saturday, 14th November

The player has the right to appeal this decision

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_2SlfCpSc