Tadhg Furlong cleared by URC panel after Coombes complaint
Leinster and Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong will face no sanction after a URC disciplinary committee unanimously dismissed a citing complaint made by Munster's Gavin Coombes.
Tadhg Furlong will not be punished after an independent disciplinary committee threw out a citing complaint against him, IOL reported. The Leinster and Ireland tighthead is therefore available for his country’s Nations Championship fixtures, including the home Test against the Springboks.
What the complaint was about
The case stemmed from last weekend’s Irish derby between Leinster and Munster in the United Rugby Championship. Munster No 8 Gavin Coombes alleged that Furlong had grabbed him by the testicles during the match, and the prop was cited as a result.
Furlong appeared by video conference on Thursday before a three-person panel. It was made up of Simon Thomas of Wales as chair, South Africa’s Attie Heyns and Scotland’s Pamela Woodman.
The committee’s finding
After reviewing the evidence and the submissions, the panel was unanimous. It ruled that the complaint should be dismissed, concluding that Furlong had broken no part of Law 9.27. That law bars players from conduct against the spirit of good sportsmanship, and it specifically lists grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals.
The committee did add that Coombes had given an honest account of what he remembered, and that it was right for the complaint to come before it. The URC said in its statement that a full written summary of the decision would follow “as soon as reasonably practicable”.
Comparison with the Wessels case
IOL noted similarities with a case involving Bulls forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Last season he was banned for eight weeks after an alleged incident involving a Connacht player. According to the report, there was little evidence in the Wessels matter, while the Furlong incident was captured on video, yet the Bulls forward still received a lengthy ban.
What it means for the Springboks and fans
Furlong, who is 33, is free to be picked for Ireland’s Nations Championship home matches against Argentina, Fiji and the Springboks. The tournament starts next weekend. He is also not set to miss any URC or Champions Cup games for Leinster in the next couple of months.
For South African supporters, the ruling means one of the world’s best props can line up against the Springboks in Ireland if selected. The written reasons from the URC are still to come, so more detail on the committee’s thinking should emerge in the coming days.
This story is based on reporting by IOL.
