Shaun Edwards brands rugby disciplinary process 'peculiar'

Tuesday 2 February 2010
Published By: David Rawlings
Six Nations > Wales

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards has branded the game's disciplinary process "peculiar" ahead of calls for the rules to be changed following Lee Byrne's ban.

The Ospreys fullback was the man at the centre of the 16th man scandal which resulted in an appeal from Leicester following the final Heineken Cup group game.

Byrne has since been handed a two-week ban by the game's disciplinary panel but Edwards and Welsh kicking legend Neil Jenkins said it is strange for an offence committed in a club match to be punished in an international game and suggested that following football's example may be best in this kind of situation.

"Maybe that becomes the case in terms of rugby, maybe that's something which should be looked at," Jenkins told Wales Online.

Puzzlingly, Byrne will be eligible to play in the very next game of the competition where the offence was committed - the Heineken Cup quarter final against Biarritz on April 10th, which may leave the Leicester Tigers using their paws to scratch their heads.

Posted by David Rawlings