Leinster's Tadhg Furlong cited over alleged grabbing of Munster's Gavin Coombes

Mixed · 2Leinster and Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been cited for allegedly grabbing the genitals of Munster's Gavin Coombes during their United Rugby Championship (URC) match on Saturday 24 October. 1 2 Right · 1Leinster won the match 24-18, according to GB News. 3 Mixed · 2Coombes alleged during the game that his testicles had been grabbed, but an immediate television review ordered by referee Andrew Brace was inconclusive, with no evidence of the incident. 1 2

Right · 1GB News, citing the Irish Independent, reported that the television match official Colin Stanley found no definitive images in the broadcast angles, but that Munster later supplied the citing commissioner with clear footage of the alleged incident, prompting the citation. 3 Centre · 1Because the incident was noted in the referee's report, it could be reviewed by citing commissioner Peter Ferguson. 1 Mixed · 2The URC said on Monday the incident occurred in the 37th minute of the Round 4 fixture at the Aviva Stadium, and that the citing commissioner made a complaint of foul play by Furlong (No. 3) against Coombes (No. 8). 1 2

Mixed · 2Furlong was cited under Law 9.27, which says a player must not do anything against the spirit of good sportsmanship, including grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals; arrangements for the disciplinary process are in progress and will be announced in due course. 1 2 Mixed · 2Munster coach Clayton McMillan backed Coombes, saying players would not make such an allegation lightly and that it was not the sort of person Coombes is. 1 2 Mixed · 2Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said the accusation becomes a serious matter for the citing commissioner, but that from what he had seen, he could not see anything. 1 2

Right · 1Cullen also said it looked to him as if Coombes had changed his mind halfway through the accusation, though he added that he did not know. 3 Mixed · 2Furlong, 33, a British & Irish Lion approaching 100 Test caps, faces the possibility of a lengthy ban if found guilty and is in the Ireland squad for November's Nations Championship fixtures. 1 2 Right · 1GB News reported that a guilty finding carries a suspension of a minimum of 12 weeks to a maximum of four years, that it would rule Furlong out of Ireland's November fixtures, and that no hearing date has been set. 3

Mixed · 2As a precedent, last season Bulls hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels received a nine-week suspension for grabbing the testicles of Connacht's Josh Murphy. 1 2 Right · 1GB News also cited the 2020 case of England's Joe Marler, who received a 10-week suspension, reduced from the 12-week minimum because of mitigating circumstances, for grabbing the genitals of Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones. 3