Pro12: Munster v Leinster, Shelbyville, Sat 13th

[ceemec]

Ruadhri O'Connor has tweeted that the rumour is POC will not be cited. I'm coflicted on it. Happy to see him available if so but I do think it undermines the whole process afresh regarding the citing of players between the provinces and, in turn, the league.

[IanD]

Some perspective or maybe not.

My Dad has no interest at all in rugby. The first and last match he watched in full was Ireland v England in Croke Park first rime round. He has no understanding who the players involved are or what they are like as individuals. He happened to have the telly on in the background when POC kicked Baby K and saw the replays. He has no axe to grind either way.

What he does have is 3 grand children and he saw the kick as an 'assault'. He would be against any of the grand kids taking up rugby and this was hugely reinforced by the fact no punishment was handed out. He felt that if that happened in a Soccer match the person would be awarded a suspension.

Based on this conversation I feel POC has to get a citing and a ban if only to confirm to the general public that kicking someone lying on the ground in the head is not the norm and not acceptable in the sport.

Just to clarify I believed POC should have received a Red Card at the time and I still stand by that.

[mhow]

Are 4 in a row against them now?

I think that might be 9 out of the last 11 matches. No wonder the attendances are falling for both fixtures. The brave and the faithful just wont turnip to see the ladyboys win, win, win.

Just wondering before we're back to the drive for 6

In the "professional era" 1995 to date i make it that there have been 37 games of which Leinster won 18, Munster 17 and 2 draws.
In matches other than inter-provincial matches i.e. Celtic League, Celtic Cup, Magners, Rabo, Heineken since 2001 there have been 26 games of which Leinster won 15 and Munster 11.
Leinster have won 9 of the last 11 games against Munster (starting at and including 2009 H cup semi-final) and 12 of the last 18 games (starting at and including the 2006 H Cup semi-final).

[ceemec]

Pro12 has confirmed POC will not be cited after the footage was reviewed by citing officer. Time to move on!

[OTT]

Ruadhri O'Connor has tweeted that the rumour is POC will not be cited. I'm coflicted on it. Happy to see him available if so but I do think it undermines the whole process afresh regarding the citing of players between the provinces and, in turn, the league.

Agreed. Leaving aside the drivel from some posters as to the character (or lack there of) of POC. To not at least make him answerable to a commission as to wether or not he was at least guilty of recklessness (in my opinion he was) in this instance is a joke. I dont even want him banned a 1 week with a week off for good behaviour or whatever the f&*k way they want to do it would do me but there has to be some thing which gets put down that you cant do things like that on a pitch and it isnt acceptable. And I would agree with hugonaut that it makes absolute shite of the BOD citing for rucking on a guy who was committing a professional foul. The inconsistencies are ridiculous.

[AdamK]

I'm glad for POC, sad for the league.

[TheBear]

Pro12 has confirmed POC will not be cited after the footage was reviewed by citing officer. Time to move on!

Where is that from?

I have to say, I'm fairly disgusted that he hasn't been cited. The laws don't make any reference to intent, and the only defence that has been/could possibly be offered for him is that the kick was unintentional.

[Darce]

I'm pretty disgusted with the League right now...

[simonokeeffe]

IT reporting it too
to a serious comparison am pretty sure every drunk driver who hit someone didnt mean to do it either
no malice of forethought is mitigation for sentencing not carte blanche

if it had been Stander or Laulala he would have been thrown under the bus

really, really need properly independent citing officers and tribunals
am pretty sure kicking someone in the head is dangerous play

[Dave Cahill]

Of course he wasn't going to be cited. Paul O'Connell being unavailable for the Clermont game would have the potential to effect the IRFUs revenue streams, and we've already seen this season that the union are more concerned with money than player safety.

[ceemec]

Corcoran posted it on Twitter. He followed it up by stating that the Pro12 qualified it by saying the act was careless, not intentional and therefore not a red card offence. I am genuinely happy that POC will be playing in Clermont but it's a cop out as many of the Pro12/ML non-citings between provinces have been in the past. There's a game coming up that, if Munster win, could lead to a big pay day for the IRFU. An IRFU employee rules that POC has no case to answer. Just too coincidental.

I hope he at least goes on to deliver a serious performance in Montpellier now!

[mikey]

Pro12 has confirmed POC will not be cited after the footage was reviewed by citing officer. Time to move on!

So, in conclusion, we are therefore to assume that what occurred on Saturday was neither reckless or dangerous?

Interesting. Very interesting.

[Sauvignon Blank]

shocking stuff really. Off Scot free.

[leinster4life13]

Disgraceful and cowardly decision, one rule for high profile internationals and another for the proles.

[alanair]

Yep.... apparently its ok to recklessly 'Shin' an opponent into unconsciousness.... I'm glad thats clarified then

[nopeare]

An absolute disgrace nothing is coming from it, really makes a joke of the rules imo and could create a precedence of the case that in future if anyone is citied for this they could get away lighter suspensions.

[Offiah]

Unfortunately its all politics with the semi and Lions selection coming up.
Not a happy punter
Time to move on though

[johnmcg]

Will be interesting to hear the likes of George Hook's opinion on this given how he was so outraged over Healy only getting a two week ban in the six nations.

Absolute cop-out and hard to see past the fact that a Connacht citing commissioner made a decision that benefits the IRFU.

[tate]

glad that storm in a teacup is over

[blockhead]

Quinlan-eye gouging on Leo
Hayes- Stamping on head of Healy
Mafi-Punch to face of Darcy
Mafi-high tackle on RK
O'leary- high tackle on Healy
Horan-block on Bod
POC-kicks DK in face

It seems that nearly every time we play the turnips there is some act of thuggery from them.