European rugby authorities are set to meet in Dublin on Thursday to discuss the alleged incidents during last weekend's Munster-Castres game. Munster claim that Peter Clohessy was bitten while the French side alleges its number eight Ismaelia Lassissi was subjected to racist remarks by the Munster prop. A three-man European Rugby Cup (ERC) disciplinary committee, appointed by the chairman of ERC Jean-Pierre Lux, will hear the citing complaints.
The French club has made a formal complaint, claiming Clohessy made the remarks to the 32-year-old Ivory Coast-born player during last Saturday's European Cup game. Lassissi was himself cited by Munster for allegedly biting Clohessy during the same match.
Castres' director Patrick Alran said: "We have received no notification of Munster's action but we have cited Clohessy for using discriminatory and racist words to our player." Alran also rejected Munster's claim that Lassissi allegedly bit Clohessy's arm, saying: "Our player was wearing a gumshield."
Castres president Pierre-Yves Revol claimed that video evidence shows that Clohessy "held Lassissi's shirt and his arm happened to come into close contact with Lassissi's face".
However Munster manager Jerry Holland was stunned at the citing of Clohessy who finished the match with his arm bandaged. "We have been involved in European Cup rugby for six years and we have never cited a player nor have any of our players ever been cited," Holland said.
Filed by Greg McKevitt
