Richards: Scam doomed to failure

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Richards has been banned from coaching for three years after ordering winger Tom Williams to fake a cut using a blood capsule in a Heineken Cup tie last season. The supposed injury allowed Quins to exploit rules governing blood substitutions but Richards concedes their deceit was poorly concealed.

Richards told BBC Radio Five Live: "It isn't something we rehearsed, it was something on the spur of the moment. When we went through with it and I was stood on the touchline I was thinking, 'Oh my god'."

He added: "I saw Tom coming off with blood all around his mouth and walking like Bruce Grobbelaar.

"I was mortified and I knew at that point, instantly, something would come of it.

"It wasn't very well done at all. It was Fred Karno's Circus to be honest."

Richards also also conceded the Williams incident was not the first time he had used blood capsules.

He added: "It is something I had used and done on four previous occasions prior to that, two tactical and two medical. I know it is wrong and I shouldn't have done it."