Munster have confirmed that Alan Quinlan will appeal against his 12-week ban after being found guilty of making contact with the eye area of the Leinster captain, Leo Cullen, during their recent Heineken Cup semi-final.

The Ireland international, who is set to miss the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa, is currently suspended until early September, although an independent disciplinary committee decided last week that the offence was at the "low-range" in terms of its seriousness level. No date has yet been set for an appeal hearing, but it looks likely to take place in the next few days.

The Lions assembled today with the head coach, Ian McGeechan, having already identified a potential replacement for Quinlan, believed to be Leicester and England flanker Tom Croft. The Lions squad leave for Johannesburg on Sunday and their opening game is against a Royal XV in Rustenburg on 30 May.