SALE SHARKS’ first visit to Limerick in the Heineken Cup was a painful experience but it became worse yesterday when Epi Taione, their Tonga centre, was cited for biting during Saturday’s defeat by Munster. Sale, leaders of the Guinness Premiership, lost not only their unbeaten European record at Thomond Park, but also the consistent Elvis Seavili’i to ligament damage and stand to lose Taione to suspension.
An independent citing commissioner, Iain Goodall, a Scot, cited Taione over an incident involving Denis Leamy, the Munster flanker, who gesticulated to Joel Jutge, the referee, to show marks on his right arm. The Munster management said after the game that the player had been bitten, an offence that carries a tariff of between six months and three years. A disciplinary panel will be convened as soon as possible.
Taione was on the pitch only as a replacement at centre for Seveali’i and later moved into the pack — he is also a capable back-row forward — but, for the hour or so he was there, he had difficulty getting to terms with the tempo of the game. In that respect he was just one of many frustrated visiting players as Sale’s hopes of a home quarter-final disappeared in the rubble of a 31-9 defeat. Seveali’i will have a scan on his left knee today, but it is feared that the cruciate ligaments have been damaged and he is likely to be out for some months.
The only ray of sunshine for the Sharks came when Bernard Laporte decided not to selected Sébastien Chabal, Sale’s No 8, for France’s first game of the RBS Six Nations Championship, against Scotland on February 5. Laporte, the France coach, did include Sébastien Bruno, the Sale hooker, in his 22 but Chabal has been overlooked, which means that he will be available to help his club sustain their leadership of the Guinness Premiership during the international period.
Thomas Castaignède, who pulled a hamstring during Saracens’ defeat by Biarritz on Saturday, is also omitted and the uncapped Benjamin Boyet, of Bourgoin, is called up as deputy at fly half to Frédéric Michalak. So confident is Laporte in his resources that as talented a player as Imanol Harinordoquy, the Biarritz No 8, makes only the A squad for the game against Ireland in Limoges on February 10.
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It was a day, good and bad, for back-row forwards: Eric Miller, a Lion in South Africa in 1997 when he was with Leicester, has decided to retire from international rugby, and from all rugby at the end of the season. Miller, 30, won 48 caps for Ireland at No 8 and flanker and has been a consistent performer for Leinster, but a string of injuries prevented him making the most of a great footballing talent.
Wales envisage the possible withdrawal from their international squad of Jonathan Thomas, the Ospreys flanker, who suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury during his region’s Heineken Cup defeat by Stade Français on Friday. Wales were already badly hit with the loss of Ryan Jones, Brent Cockbain and Luke Charteris from their potential pack.
The impact of the Heineken Cup on Ireland, though, has been nothing but good. Not only has Eddie O’Sullivan, the coach, seen Brian O’Driscoll, his captain, restored to health, but also his tight forwards appear rejuvenated. O’Sullivan has called Barry Murphy, the Munster centre, into his training squad after a calf injury to Girvan Dempsey, the Leinster full back/wing.
FRANCE SQUAD (v Scotland): Backs: N Brusque (Biarritz), C Dominici (Stade Français), C Heymans (Toulouse), L Valbon (Brive), F Fritz (Toulouse), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), B Boyet (Bourgoin), F Michalak (Toulouse), J-B Elissalde (Toulouse), D Yachvili (Biarritz). Forwards: P de Villiers (Stade Français), S Marconnet (Stade Français), O Milloud (Bourgoin), S Bruno (Sale Sharks), D Szarzewski (Stade Français), F Pelous (Toulouse), J Thion (Biarritz), L Nallet (Castres), Y Nyanga (Toulouse), T Lièvremont (Biarritz), R Martin (Stade Français), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin).