British and Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan cited for hit on Tom Lynagh
British and Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan has been cited for foul play over an incident in Saturday's third Test against Australia that left Wallabies' flyhalf Tom Lynagh knocked out.
The incident was briefly looked at by the match officials just before halftime but Sheehan initially escaped punishment even though replays showed he entered a ruck at speed and appeared to make dangerous contact with Lynagh's head.
The Australian playmaker was taken from the field to undergo a head injury assessment, which he failed, preventing him from rejoining the match, which the Wallabies won 22-12.
Sheehan's actions at the ruck were hotly debated on social media, with many incredulous that he was let off as Australian supporters argued he should have been given an instant red card.
Tom Lynagh was substituted off after being hit in the head. Picture: Getty Images
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An independent reviewer later looked back at the incident and World Rugby subsequently released a statement in the early hours of Sunday morning announcing Sheehan had been cited and would face an expedited hearing later that day.
'British & Irish Lions player Dan Sheehan will have a citing complaint reviewed by an independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) after being cited by the independent citing commissioner Adrien Menez for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.20 (a) (a player must not charge into a ruck or maul …) in the Australia v British & Irish Lions third test in Sydney on Saturday, 2 August,' World Rugby said in the statement.
Asked about the incident after the match, Lions coach Andy Farrell said he couldn't comment because he hadn't looked at it yet.
'There are all sorts of rugby incidents that we can pull apart. I've seen quite a few more incidents as well,' he said.
'We'll always go through the right channels when that's concerned.'
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Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was also tight-lipped after launching a blistering attack on the way officials deal with head knocks from collisions at rucks after the Television Match Official failed to penalise the Lions over another contentious clean-out that would have ruled out their series-winning try in the second Test in Melbourne.
But Schmidt was biting his tongue this time when asked about the hit on Lynagh, the talented young son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh.
'In live, we didn't see Tom's incident, and it was probably a little bit later that we got a glimpse of it, and that's all I've seen so far,' Schmidt said.
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Dan Sheehan has been cited for foul play. Picture: Getty Images
'So I'd rather not comment on it until I've seen it. But … You know, there's always a difficulty for a TMO, I guess. He's watching the main TV broadcast, and then if he doesn't pick it up there, then he doesn't' access the other angles because everything's happening so quickly.'
Schmidt did say that he didn't think there was any malice from the Irish hooker and also that he had checked in on Lynagh's health to ensure he was OK
'I've got massive respect for Dan,' Schmidt said.
'There's a few things like that that will happen in a really physical contest.
'For us with Tom, he is still a young kid and we'll try to look after him and make sure that he's fully fit on the back of getting that knock. But I had a good chat to him after the game and he's pretty resilient.'
Originally published as British and Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan cited for hit on Wallabies flyhalf Tom Lynagh
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