Flannery appears to aim kick at Palisson

Ireland's Jerry Flannery will learn his fate on Wednesday morning when a disciplinary hearing into his citing in the defeat by France is held in Dublin.

The Munster player was cited for "an alleged kick" on France wing Alexis Palisson in the RBS Six Nations match.

Referee Wayne Barnes took no action after the incident other than awarding a penalty to France, who won 33-10.

Flannery faces a lengthy suspension which could rule him out of Ireland's remaining Six Nations games.

Ireland's next match is away to England on 27 February.

The minimum suspension for the offence is four weeks but the mid-range sanction for the offence is an eight to 12-week ban, which can be extended to a possible year.

Flannery's expected absence will open the door for Ulster captain Rory Best to come into the side.

Best had been expected to miss the entire season after undergoing surgery on a neck injury last summer but recently returned to club action in Ireland before turning out for Ireland Wolfhounds against Scotland A at Ravenhill.

Best replaced Flannery during the second half of Saturday's game in Paris, as he had done in Ireland's Six Nations opener against Italy in Dublin seven days earlier.

Palisson limped off with a dead leg soon after the incident involving Flannery.

Referee Barnes had consulted his touch judge Stuart Terheege, who believed the challenge to be a 'shoulder charge' and Flannery escaped a potential red card.

France's dominant display ended defending champions Ireland's hopes of back-to-back grand slams.

France's second straight win of the tournament kept them on course for a possible clean sweep, with Wales their next opponents on Friday 26 February.

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