RUGBY:Munster's satisfaction at maintaining their unbeaten Heineken European Cup run this season with a bonus-point victory over Cardiff on Saturday at Thomond Park will be tempered by the news that flanker Alan Quinlan has been cited for an alleged stamping offence during the match.
The citing lodged by the citing commissioner for the game, England's Alan Mansell, was for alleged stamping in contravention of Law 10.4 (b). The hearing will take place in Dublin tomorrow. The disciplinary committee will be chaired by Christopher Quinlan (England) and will also comprise Bruce Reece-Russell (England) and Iain Goodall (Scotland).
The law in question states a player may not "stamp or trample on an opponent". Quinlan was not pulled up for the incident during the match.
Meanwhile, ERC have announced the dates and times for round six (the final round) of the European Cup. Defending champions Munster will host the Leicester Tigers in what promises to be a mouth-watering clash at Thomond Park on Saturday, January 20th.
The match is sure to be a sell-out if, as expected both teams beat Bourgoin (Munster play them in Geneva on January 14th) and Cardiff (Leicester host them at Welford Road) in the penultimate round of games in Pool Four.
Leinster will be the first of the Irish provinces in action when they travel to take on Gloucester in the English club's Kingsholm fortress on Friday, January 19th (7.30). The Irish province must first welcome Edinburgh to Donnybrook on January 13th while Gloucester travel to Agen.
The likelihood is the Kingsholm showdown will decide pool honours if both teams win their matches in round five.
Ulster travel to Toulouse on Sunday, January 21st. Mark McCall's side will first hope to beat pool pace-setters Llanelli at Ravenhill on January 13th to give them an outside chance of qualification.
The six pool winners (ranked one to six) and two best runners-up (ranked seventh and eighth) will qualify for the quarter-finals with the top four ranked sides earning home advantage for March 30th/31st and April 1st, 2007.
EUROPEAN CUP - ROUND SIX
(All kick-offs Irish times)
Fri Jan 19th:Pool Two: Gloucester v Leinster, Kingsholm (7.30); Edinburgh v Agen, Murrayfield (7.30).
Sat Jan 20th:Pool One: Castres Olympique v Wasps, Stade Pierre Antoine (1.30); Perpignan v Benetton Treviso, Stade Aime Giral (1.30). Pool Three: Stade Francais v Calvisano, Stade Jean Bouin (3.30); Sale Sharks v Ospreys, Edgeley Park (3.30). Pool Four: Munster v Leicester Tigers, Thomond Park (5.35); Cardiff v Bourgoin, Arms Park (5.35).
Sun Jan 21st:Pool Five: Llanelli Scarlets v London Irish, Stradey Park (1.0); Toulouse v Ulster, Stade Ernest Wallon (1.0). Pool Six: Overmach Parma v Border Reivers, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (3.0); Northampton Saints v Biarritz Olympique (3.0).
Quarter-finals:March 30th/31st/April 1st.
Semi-finals:April 21st/22nd.
Final:Sunday, May 20th, Twickenham (2.30).
