Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been cleared by a disciplinary committee of grabbing Munster back-row Gavin Coombes in the groin during Leinster's United Rugby Championship victory over Munster on 29 October 2026.
The incident occurred in the first half of Leinster's 24-18 win at Aviva Stadium. Coombes raised the allegation with referee Andrew Brace, but television match official Colin Stanley could not find conclusive video evidence. Furlong was subsequently cited under Law 9.27, which prohibits acts against the spirit of good sportsmanship including grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals.
A disciplinary panel comprising Simon Thomas (Wales), Attie Heyns (South Africa) and Pamela Woodman (Scotland) met on Thursday and unanimously dismissed the citing complaint, concluding that Furlong did not commit an act of foul play. The committee noted that Coombes had given "an honest account of his recollection of events surrounding the incident."
With the sanction dismissed, the 33-year-old Furlong is available for selection for Ireland's upcoming Nations Championship home matches against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa, as well as the finals weekend fixture at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium.
