Thursday 28 May 2015 22:27, UK
Alex Cuthbert scored a pair of tries to help the Barbarians to a 22-21 win over Ireland in Limerick on a night that could prove costly for Jack McGrath.
The Leinster loosehead prop was sin-binned for kneeing lock Konstantin Mikautadze in the back and a lengthy ban would put his place in Ireland's World Cup squad in doubt.
Fly-half Ian Madigan escaped censure for stamping on Georgia lock Mikautadze when a maul collapsed in the 32nd minute at Thomond Park, but McGrath was handed a yellow card for his actions at the same breakdown.
The 25-year-old front-rower could face further retrospective punishment, however, and any eventual sanction could threaten his World Cup participation.
France lock Pascal Pape was handed a 10-week ban for kneeing Ireland No 8 Jamie Heaslip in the back during this year's Six Nations, and any suspension for McGrath would not begin until Ireland's World Cup warm-up games in August.
Even if McGrath's indiscretion is not deemed as serious as Pape's, a four-week ban would leave his participation in doubt, and it was notable that Ireland coach Joe Schmidt did not send him back on to the field after his 10 minutes in the bin.
Away from the controversy, Wales wing Cuthbert was the difference between the sides with his two scores and there was also a try for Leinster's Zane Kirchner against a number of his club team-mates.
Ireland, who earlier stayed in touch with tries from Craig Gilroy and Chris Henry, made the game exciting with a last-gasp score from replacement fly-half Paddy Jackson, Madigan slotting the drop-goal conversion to allow the game to restart.
Ireland again trailed by one point, with the game sliding into its final minute, as the Barbarians restarted the action, but they were able to run down the clock to claim victory in their first game of the week - they face an England XV at Twickenham on Sunday.
