(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Dan Sheehan Handed Suspension Following Foul Play Review After Lions Test Against Australia
British and Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan has been handed a four-match suspension—reducible to three—after an independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) determined he committed a breach of Law 9.20(a) by charging into a ruck during the final test match against Australia at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on August 2, 2025.
The FPRC, chaired by Wang Shao-Ing (Singapore) alongside Mike Mika (New Zealand) and Valeriu Toma (Romania), convened under World Rugby’s expedited off-field sanction process. The process allows for sanction decisions without in-person hearings, though players can submit written statements for consideration.
In its ruling, the committee concluded that Sheehan’s actions were reckless, involved direct head contact with an opponent, and carried a high degree of danger. As such, they found no grounds for mitigation.
Although Sheehan did not accept that foul play occurred or that the citing was justified, the committee reviewed the match footage and written submissions and decided the incident merited a mid-range entry point of a six-match ban. Due to the player’s lack of acceptance of wrongdoing, the full 50% mitigation was not applied, resulting in a final sanction of four matches, which can be reduced to three upon successful completion of a World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.
Dan Sheehan Suspension Matches:
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13 September 2025 – Leinster vs Cardiff (Pre-season)
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26 September 2025 – Leinster vs Stormers (URC)
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11 October 2025 – Leinster vs Sharks (URC)
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18 October 2025 – Leinster vs Munster (URC) – Sheehan will be eligible for this match if he successfully completes the coaching programme.
This suspension is a reminder of World Rugby’s continued focus on player safety, particularly around head contact and reckless play.
