IRFU sanction Sean O’Brien over pub incident

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The IRFU have sanctioned Sean O’Brien in connection with an incident in a bar in Dublin.

The Ireland flanker, who will leave Leinster after this year’s World Cup to join Declan Kidney’s London Irish, has been sanctioned for the incident which is said to have taken place the day after Leinster’s win in the Guinness PRO14 final last month.

A union spokesman said: “The IRFU have investigated an incident of inappropriate behaviour by a player which occurred on 26th May 2019. The player has expressed his deep regret and has been sanctioned in line with the provisions of his contract. The player has apologised to the individual involved.

“The IRFU, and the player, regret any upset that this incident has caused.”

O’Brien is said to have urinated on a customer of the pub while the Leinster squad was celebrating their victory.

It followed on from an earlier incident that weekend, in which a punch from former prop forward Stan Wright put a Leinster Academy player in hospital.

Wright was part of Leinster’s squad that won its first Heineken Cup in 2009 and was in Dublin for the celebrations of that anniversary.

The province carried out an investigation of that incident earlier this month and said: “An internal investigation was carried out by Leinster Rugby, which has concluded to the satisfaction of all parties and as a result, we will not be making any further comment on the incident other than to confirm that the player in question received medical attention and that he has made a full recovery.”

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