Six Nations turns sour for Ireland as Healy is found guilty of stamp
PROP Cian Healy will miss Ireland’s next two RBS Six Nations fixtures after being found guilty of stamping on England’s Dan Cole during their 12-6 defeat in Dublin on Sunday.
The 25-year-old trod on Cole’s ankle in the 14th minute of the match at the Aviva Stadium after an Ireland maul collapsed, though match referee Jerome Garces missed the incident after allowing the game to continue with an Irish advantage.
However, Healy was subsequently cited for the stamp and an independent disciplinary committee ruled the Leinster forward should be banned for a mid-range offence, which carries the standard punishment of a five-week suspension.
The committee also allowed a two-week mitigation period, recognising that Healy would not have played this weekend as Ireland are without a fixture, therefore the ban will end at midnight on 10 March.
A statement from the committee said: “The committee, having viewed the footage of the incident and listened to the representations by and on behalf of the player, found that the stamp should be categorised as a mid-range offence in terms of seriousness, which carries a sanction of five weeks.”
Healy will miss Ireland’s trip to Scotland on
24 February and France’s visit to Dublin on 9 March, their penultimate fixture.