Expect Fireworks When Leicester Host Munster After These Matt O’Connor Comments
Not happy.
Matt O’Connor has added some extra spice to this weekend’s return Champions Cup clash at Welford Road, after accusing Munster of not providing a duty of care in their clash on Saturday.
The Leicester boss was referring to the clash between fullback Telusa Veainu and Munster winger Andrew Conway that saw the former suffer a broken jaw, while the latter was seemingly knocked unconscious.
After the game, there was a tense atmosphere at the press conference, with O’Connor far from happy. When we asked him to confirm the injury to Veainu was as a result of the Conway clash, he said:
“Yeah. From Conway. Where he smashed him in the face with his head. You saw it, I saw it. Duty of care, is it there?”
Speaking to The Irish Independent afterwards, O’Connor continued:
“Well, one guy’s got a broken jaw,”
“That’s what I’m annoyed about. Surely there’s a duty of care? How is it not a high tackle when he’s clashed heads and smashed him in his face with his head? We’re talking about seat-belt tackles. And a bloke’s got a broken jaw.”
Johann van Grann told us after the game that he felt it was an accident, and it’s hard to disagree.
“It was a kick in the air and it was a collision between two players and both guys got injured. I hope they both will be fine.”
Have a look at the incident yourself below. Looks like an accident if you ask us.
Leicester boss Matt O’Connor confirmed after tonight’s game that Telusa Veainu suffered a broken jaw from this clash with Andrew Conway. Nasty stuff indeed for both men. pic.twitter.com/8JwAJn5lTo
— RugbyLAD (@RugbyLAD7) December 10, 2017