Harlequins' ordeal is not over yet as RFU ponder new charges

Chris Jones
26 Aug 2009

Harlequins could face further punishment over "Bloodgate" after the RFU announced they have launched a new investigation following new shocking revelations of the scandal.

The game's governing body said on Monday they would take no action against Quins, who were fined £259,000 over Tom Williams's fake blood injury in the Heineken Cup tie with Leinster in April.

But in a major U-turn following the publication of Williams's evidence at his appeal the RFU will probe the controversy and could bring charges against the club. Although the new investigation is a huge blow for the crisis club, Quins insisted today Mark Evans will not be axed.

The RFU have expressed their "concern" over Williams's claims that he felt under pressure from Harlequins not to make a full disclosure on the events behind the controversy.

Quins wing Williams told an independent appeals committee last week the club had offered him a new four-year contract plus other benefits and said in his written testimony, which was released yesterday, that Evans and chairman Charles Jillings had asked him to consider a limited appeal solely against the length of his ban.

Williams was initially handed a 12-month suspension - reduced to four months after appeal - for chewing a fake blood capsule during the match.

Following the initial ban, Williams said Evans told him the club could face expulsion from the competition if he proceeded with a full-disclosure appeal and urged him to adopt a damage-limitation approach.

Williams said he had initially accepted the offer of a new contract - and even admitted demanding asking the club to pay off his mortgage - but ultimately decided to tell all during last Monday's hearing. The RFU will wait until full details are published of European Rugby Cup's appeal against the original sanctions placed on Quins before deciding whether to take further action.

The RFU issued a statement last night stating: "We have read with concern some of the allegations made by Tom Williams in his statement, particularly against the club and its officials with regard to covering up the fake blood incident."

RFU disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett said: "The material we reviewed over the weekend related only to the additional four occasions on which fake blood was used.

"On these new allegations, difficult though it might be, we must have the full information before we decide on next steps."

Blackett decided on Monday to take no further action against Quins players allegedly involved in four prior occasions of using fake blood.

Quins chief Evans refused to comment on Williams' testimony and said: "I'm not going to talk about that. I haven't even seen the judgment."

Under his command, Evans has seen the club, which is 90 per cent owned by Australian businessman Duncan Saville, go from strength to strength. But now Dean Richards, the former director of rugby, has been banned from rugby for three years for masterminding the affair, physio Steph Brennan banned for two years, Williams for four months and the club fined - all under Evans's watch.

However, a Quins insider said the chief executive would not be another casualty . He said: "Having lost a good director of rugby we do not intend to lose one of the best chief executives in the game. Yes, some people don't like everything Mark has done at this club and he has made mistakes, but he is still the right man for the job."