Rugby: As if it needed an additional edge, Leinster will now meet Sale Sharks on Sunday with their cited second row Ben Gissing free to play, while the home side will line out without the now suspended Andy Titterrell.
Clontarf's Gissing appeared in front of an independent disciplinary committee in Dublin yesterday morning over an alleged stamping incident during the match against Sale in Lansdowne Road last week. Having looked at video evidence, the committee ruled that Gissing had "no case to answer and dismissed the citing".
The player was immediately named at lock by Leinster coach Gary Ella for Sunday's return leg.
Titterrell, who was cited by Leinster for stamping on Eric Miller during the same game, was suspended up to and including Sunday, February 29th.
The committee, having watched "extensive video footage decided that an act of foul play had been committed which, if seen by the referee, would have resulted in a red card being issued", said the ERC statement.
The decision, unless the club successfully appeals it, means Titterrell will also miss the final pool match before the beginning of the Six Nations Championship. Any appeal must be lodged within 72 hours of receipt of written notice of the decision.
Ella was not surprised by Gissing's exoneration; in fact there was dismay that he was cited at all, although tit-for-tat citings are now a common feature of the championship.
"We didn't think that incident was any worse than a number of incidents which happened around the field," said Ella. "It was just part of the game, one of those things that happened. It is good to have Ben in the side for the game at the weekend."
Meanwhile, Leinster have agreed to allow Argentinian outhalf Felipe Contepomi to play for Co Carlow in the All-Ireland League this Sunday against Shannon at Thomond Park.
With the player ineligible to play in the group stages of the European Cup, Ella is keen to keep one of his prized assets match-fit. The next game he can play for the province is not until February 6th, in the Celtic League against the Gwent Dragons.
Initially, Contepomi was also ineligible to play in the AIL, as his involvement in the World Cup meant he missed the registration date, but this has been resolved.
He affiliated himself with Carlow due to the presence of South African player-coach Dan van Zyl, a former team-mate at Bristol. Ironically, the selection of Contepomi has meant the former Springbok has been forced to exclude himself from the squad, as only one foreign player is allowed per team.
Jonny Wilkinson's comeback from a shoulder injury remains on hold. He was not considered for the Parker Pen Challenge Cup second round, second leg tie between Newcastle and Montferrand in France on Sunday. It could leave the Falcons outhalf with just one opportunity to prove his fitness ahead of England's Six Nations opener against Italy on February 15th.
The Falcons take a seven-point first-leg advantage with them this weekend, and if they are knocked out then two blank weekends loom while the Parker Pen quarter-finals take place.
That would leave Wilkinson, unless he features in any scheduled club second team games, with just the Zurich Premiership clash at Gloucester on February 7th before England kick-off their Six Nations campaign.
Ulster coach Alan Solomons has been named Philips sports manager of the month for December. The province beat Edinburgh 27-21 on December 20th to become the inaugural winners of the Celtic Cup.
