Harlequins today offered an unreserved apology to their supporters for the shame they have brought on the game of rugby.

The south-west London club face expulsion from this season's Heineken Cup on Monday following the 'bloodgate' cheating incident that has already led to winger Tom Williams being banned from the sport for a year.

Director of rugby Dean Richards quit the Guinness Premiership club on Saturday in the wake of the incident which happened at the end of the Heineken Cup quarter-final in April.

In a desperate attempt to beat Irish side Leinster, Williams faked a blood injury which allowed full-back Nick Evans to return to the field after he had already been substituted and try to kick the winning drop goal.

The New Zealander missed and Quins have been feeling the fall-out from the affair ever since an independent tribunal for European Rugby Cup found that Williams had cheated.

So far there had been silence from Quins but today, chief executive Mark Evans issued an open letter in which he expressed his sorrow for what had happened.

Evans wrote: "I would like to apologise to the supporters of Harlequins on behalf of the club.

"Some of you will feel that manipulation of the substitution, uncontested scrums and sin binning rules are so widespread in the game that this case has been blown out of all proportion.

"Others will feel it a terrible episode which makes them ashamed of the club they love.

"Wherever you are on that scale of reaction, I am sure you would all agree that whatever goes on elsewhere we have got to accept that we have been found guilty of behaviour that cannot be accepted or condoned. For that we apologise to you unconditionally."

Evans also stressed the hope that Richards's career in the game would not be tarnished.

He added: "It was no surprise to me or the board that he [Dean] wanted to take full responsibility for events. One mistake, albeit extremely high profile, should not overshadow a career in which so much has been achieved."

The existing coaching team of John Kingston, Colin Osborne and Tony Diprose will remain in charge of team affairs and forward Nick Easter admitted the whole episode has left the club struggling to save their battered reputation.

He said: "It was a shock. Everyone has taken a hammering but it is still a good club to be at."