An ERC inquiry is certain this week after the Toulouse and former Ireland forward Trevor Brennan climbed into the crowd not long after the start of the second half and appeared to rain blows on a visiting fan during the Pool Five match against Ulster yesterday. The inquiry into the crowd incident will depend on what, if any, television coverage is available from Canal+.
Brennan, a 33-year-old Dubliner who has played for Toulouse for five years, did not confine his fighting to the crowd. Ten minutes later, on as a replacement, he was shown a yellow card after punching and then scuffling with Ulster's Australian second-row and captain, Justin Harrison.
That fracas lasted more than a minute despite constant whistle blowing by the Bath referee Tony Spreadbury and attempts to separate the pair by other players. It then resumed on the touchline as they left the field to spend 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Brennan, a 6ft 5in forward, runs a popular bar in Toulouse which was full of Ulster fans on Friday and Saturday night, but his sortie into their area of the ground came when his side were being baited after Ulster drew level 13-13 with a disputed Paddy Wallace penalty. Fans in the area said abuse had also been directed at Brennan and concerned his bar. Friends of Brennan said last night that "nothing racial" was involved.
Brennan marched 50 yards to the corner of the ground, climbed into the crowd, and threw four or five punches before leaving, drenched by water thrown by the fans. A dozen security men were drafted into the area, but that did not stop Gareth Thomas, the former Wales captain, who has spent three years with Toulouse, from also remonstrating with the crowd.
Brennan had been on the field for only a few minutes when the Harrison tussle began, 10 minutes after the crowd incident. Once he had served the 10-minute penalty he was immediately replaced by Jean Bouilhou.
"Obviously I can't say what happened before Trevor Brennan came off the bench," said the Ulster coach, Mark McCall, "but within seconds of coming off the bench he assaulted one of our players and we'll be citing Trevor Brennan for punching Justin Harrison. That referee Trevor Spreadbury showed both men yellow cards was absolutely disgraceful. It was a red-card offence and his decision to yellow card the victim of an assault only made things worse for us."
The Toulouse coach, Guy Noves, did not attend the post-match press conference and neither Brennan nor Thomas, who is soon to join Cardiff, were made available.
In the other Pool Five match Llanelli Scarlets beat London Irish 20-16 and now face Munster. A decision will be made today on the venue but the match could be switched to Swansea's Liberty Stadium which has twice the capacity of Llanelli's home ground at Stradey Park.
Toulouse Poitrenaud; Clerc (Thomas, 67), Jauzion, Fritz (Medard, 28), Heymans; Du Toit, Elissalde (Courrent, 5); Human (Hasan, 40), Bru (capt) (Servat, 40), Poux, Millochlusky (Brennan, 48 (Bouihlou, 67)), Albacete, Nyanga, Dusatoir, Lamboley, Brennan.
Tries Poitrenaud 2, Nyanga. Cons Courrent2. Pen Courrent 3.
Sin-bin Brennan, 57
Ulster Bartholomeusz; Bowe, Trimble, Steinmetz, McKenzie (Maggs, 68); Wallace, Campbell; B Young (Fitzpatrick, 58), R Best, S. Best (capt.), Harrison, McCullough (Barker, 48), N Best, Dawson, Wilson (Ferris, 68).
Try McCullough. Con Wallace. Pens Wallace (2)
Sin-bin Harrison, 57.
