Following a citing by judicial officer Alan Hudson, Nathan Hines has been banned for one-week. The Scot made a tackle on Wilhelm Steenkamp in the 9th minute of last nights match against the Emerging Springboks and while it went unpunished by match referee Alain Rolland, the citing commissioner decided that the incident warranted further review.

Hines has 24 hours to appeal the ban, but if he does not, or a challenge is unsuccessful, he will now miss the second test in Pretoria.

Nathan Hines has been cited for an allegedly dangerous tackle on his opposite number Wilhelm Steenkamp during last nights draw against the Emerging Springboks. The citing official picked up on the incident after it went unpunished by referee Alain Rolland.

Hines is the first player to be cited during the tour and will face judicial officer Alan Hudson in Cape Town where a decision will be made. Hines is in with a shout of a second test berth - along with all the other Lions locks - and a ban at this point would certainly end those chances.

We'll have further news on this incident as it develops.

After a considerable wait, Alan Quinlan’s citing hearing has been scheduled. The Munster back-rower will face a citing panel on Wednesday to decide his fate. If he is banned he can expect at least 12 weeks on the sidelines and will miss the Lions tour.

Recent similar incidents involving Neil Best and Dylan Hartley have seen bans of 18 weeks and 6 months handed out respectively.

Alan Quinlan may be set for a wait before finding out whether or not he is to tour with the British and Irish Lions this summer. Following his citing for making contact with Leo Cullen’s eye-area in last weekend’s Heineken Cup semi-final, the Munster back-row is a doubt pending a disciplinary hearing.

It is thought that the hearing may not take place until May 13th as the European Rugby governing body will require some time to organise a panel.

In other news, Leicester and England fly-half Toby flood is out for six months after rupturing his achilles in the nail-biting game against Cardiff on Sunday. He will play no part in England’s summer tours and given the relative fragility of the Lions squad in the fly-half position, any hope of him joining the tour as a late replacement is now dashed.

Following Alan Quinlan’s contact with Leo Cullan’s eye-area during Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final he is now likely to miss out on his Lions dream. Although he has not yet appeared before a disciplinary panel, if found guilty he can expect a minimum of 12 weeks suspension.

John Byett, the independent citing commissioner decided a citing was in order after the video replay clearly shows Quinlan making contact with the fingers. He will appear before the citing panel ‘as soon as practicable’ and if he is handed a ban, which seems likely at this stage, he will lose his Lions place.

Both his captain and coach stood up for his character following the match against Leinster. "Quinny isn't that type of guy," said Paul O'Connell. "He is a tough player. It is the one thing he hasn't got in his record book. If it looked bad, I am sure there was nothing in it."

Munster’s Alan Quinlan, a surprise inclusion in the Lions touring party has a nervous wait on his hands following a possible citing incident in his teams defeat against Leinster this weekend. The back-rower was clearly seen to make contact with Leo Cullen’s right eye and worryingly, based on the TV footage it appeared that he seemed to dig his fingers in.

Gouging is typically dealt with very seriously indeed. Lengthy bans are typically only ever exceeded by drug related offences like those handed out to Matt Stevens and Australian Wendel Sailor. Earlier this season Northampton’s Neil Best was banned for 18-weeks for a similar offence. It goes without saying that if he is cited and found guilty, his touring dreams will be over. If that is the case, Tom Croft is likely to be the first number in Ian McGeechan’s phone.

Croft has already been talked up by the Lions management as a player who was very unlucky not to make the cut, and we’ll be keeping you up to date with developments regarding this story.