LEO CULLEN HAS confirmed Leinster will not be appealing the two-week suspension handed down to James Lowe following his red card against Munster, while admitting his side’s discipline will be under greater scrutiny this weekend.
Kiwi winger Lowe was sent off for upending an airborne Andrew Conway during last week’s Pro14 defeat to their southern rivals, and will miss tomorrow’s clash against Ulster and the crucial Heineken Champions Cup game against Toulouse on Saturday week.
Lowe was sent-off at Thomond Park last weekend. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Lowe — who ‘accepted that he had committed an act of foul play and that his actions warranted a red card’ — was cited under Law 9.17 and subsequently handed a two-week ban by a Pro14 disciplinary committee on Thursday.
His dismissal was one of three cards Leinster received during a horribly indisciplined first-half showing in Limerick, as both Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong were sent to the bin by referee Frank Murphy.
“We won’t be appealing the ban at this stage anyway,” Cullen said this afternoon.
“All our players need to be aware of the sanctions and the way these incidents are being refereed and dealt with after the game.
“There are a lot of bits going on in that game. The Munster nine is pushing him off his line, so he starts pushing in field, and the catcher is coming in late and suddenly James is in the landing zone with the Munster player. We’ve to deal with the consequences.
“It is a difficult area for the players, I don’t think there is intent but it is difficult for players. It is good to see Andrew Conway is playing this weekend. Players need to be aware, like high tackles. We got caught badly last weekend with three different incidents, it hasn’t been a trend for us but we need to be aware of that.”
On the issue of discipline, Cullen will look for improvements from his side in Saturday’s round 13 encounter against Ulster at the RDS, which will be refereed by Irish official Andrew Brace.