The IRFU have lodged an appeal against Jerry Flannery’s six-week suspension – that’s threatening to rule him out of the rest of this year’s Six Nations. Flannery was punished for kicking-out at France winger Alexis Palisson during our defeat in Paris, but the Irish management are hoping to have the ban reduced. The Munster hooker will still miss Saturday’s match against England as the appeal hearing will not take place until next week. A cross appeal has been lodged by the Six Nations disciplinary officer, enabling the committee to increase the length of Flannery’s suspension if deemed appropriate. Flannery pleaded guilty at the original hearing held in Dublin last Wednesday, which was taken into account when the disciplinary panel made it’s original ruling. The panel found Flannery had been reckless but not deliberate in his actions and decided the offence was mid-range in its severity. But Flannery’s guilty plea and the remorse he showed for Palisson’s injury persuaded the panel to rein the suspension back from a potential eight weeks.

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