Lion Quinlan facing anxious wait after citing
Alan Quinlan could miss the Lions tour
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Monday, 04, May 2009 08:55
Munster star Alan Quinlan could miss the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa after being cited for an eye-gouging incident against Leinster on Saturday.
The 34-year-old was caught on camera allegedly gouging the eyes of Leinster captain Leo Cullen, in his side's surprise 25-6 defeat to Leinster in the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup.
If Quinlan is found guilty of the offence then he could be banned for a few months, but Lions captain and Munster team-mate Paul O'Connell has defended Quinlan and insisted he isn't a dirty player.
"Quinny isn't that type of guy," said O'Connell. "He is a tough player. It is the one thing he hasn't got in his record book. If it looked bad, I am sure there was nothing in it."
Quinlan also received the backing of Leinster coach Michael Cheika, who described the flanker as a "good guy" and couldn't see him doing such a thing as gouging another player's eyes.
Quinlan, who was man-of-the-match in last season's Heineken Cup final, was somewhat of a surprise pick for the Lions squad ahead of Tom Croft.
But Lions coach Ian McGeechan will be desperate not to have further problems regarding his squad after already losing scrum-half Tomas O'Leary to a broken ankle.