Trevor Brennan will hope to have a lifetime ban rescinded at an appeal hearing in Dublin today. The former Ireland international and Toulouse flanker will present his case before an ERC-sanctioned independent appeal committee in the hope he can once again return to the rugby union community in some capacity.
As things stand he is unable to play or coach in any tournament that comes under ERC jurisdiction. Today's appeal was lodged against the original decision of the independent disciplinary committee regarding the misconduct complaint against the player arising from an incident involving Ulster spectator Patrick Bamford during a Heineken European Cup Pool 5 match against Ulster at Stade Ernest Wallon on January 21st.
The independent disciplinary committee convened to hear the case in London on March 16th and found Brennan guilty of misconduct under the European Cup disciplinary rules in that he entered one of the seating areas in the stadium and repeatedly struck Bamford.
The committee imposed a lifetime ban on the former Ireland international preventing him from playing and also participating in any capacity in tournaments organised by ERC. This does not stop him from coaching or management outside of ERC tournaments. Prior to the original hearing Brennan announced his decision to retire from rugby.
His statement at the time explained: "I had decided at the beginning of this season that I would retire at the end of the current French Championship.
"However, as a result of recent matters I've had to review that position. I had sought an adjournment of the ERC disciplinary hearing on the grounds that it interfered with my right to silence in other proceedings, but this has been refused. I am therefore announcing my immediate retirement from rugby . . ."
Brennan was fined €25,000 and was ordered to pay €5,000 compensation to Bamford and the costs of convening the hearing. The committee will be chaired by Wyn Williams QC (Wales) and comprise Robert Horner (England) and Bill Dunlop (Scotland) and is expected to start at 10.15am this morning.
Over 210,000 additional tickets for this autumn's World Cup in France have been released for sale online to the general public.
Tickets are available across all pool matches at the 12 venues (10 in France, one in Scotland and one in Wales), the quarter-finals and the third-place play-off at Parc des Princes. Supporters wishing to purchase tickets should visit the following official tournament websites: www.rugbyworldcup.com - Official Tournament website www.france2007.fr - Official France 2007 Organising Committee website www.paramourdurugby.fr, the website for Société Générale, Official Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2007.
Frank Hadden has urged his Scotland A players to prove they deserve a World Cup chance when they take on Ireland A in their final match of the Churchill Cup tomorrow. The team shows six changes for the Twickenham clash, with centres Calum MacRae and Graeme Morrison, wing Thom Evans, scrumhalf Rob Chrystie, prop Alasdair Dickinson and hooker Scott Lawson coming in.
"By the end of the game we'll be in a better position to judge which players have advanced their claims for involvement in our World Cup training squad," said Hadden.
Uncapped London Irish wing Topsy Ojo has become the latest player drafted into England's South Africa tour squad, ahead of tomorrow's second Test in Pretoria.
SCOTLAND A (v Ireland A, Twickenham, tomorrow): S Danielli (Border Reivers); S Webster (Edinburgh), C MacRae (Border Reivers), G Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), T Evans (Glasgow Warriors); P Godman (Edinburgh), R Chrystie (Border Reivers); A Dickinson (Edinburgh), S Lawson (Glasgow Warriors), C Smith (Edinburgh), A Hall (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Rennie (Bourgoin), A Strokosch (Edinburgh), D Macfadyen (Glasgow Warriors, capt), J Beattie (Glasgow Warriors).
