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English rugby chiefs will bring in new rules and tough sanctions to ensure Bloodgate never happens again.
The use of a fake blood capsule by Harlequins in their Heineken Cup match with Leinster last season brought shame on the game.
The scandal led to a three-year ban for Dean Richards, their director of rugby, a two-year suspension for physio Steph Brennan and four months out of the game for wing, Tom Williams, plus a fine of £260,000 for the club.
The anger stirred up by the incident forced the Rugby Football Union to set up an Image of the Game Task Group to stamp out cheating in the game.
As a result of their investigation, the Group, which included former England captain, Lawrence Dallaglio, today made 16 recommendations.
The Group are calling for a definition of “gamesmanship, foul play and cheating” to be put into the rules of the game, with the regulation backed up by severe sanctions.
The investigation involved responses from 129 professional players in England and more than 4,500 from the amateur level.
Crucially, Richards made himself available and met with John Owen, the RFU president, and Jeff Blackett, the union's disciplinary chief.
His evidence, along with written and verbal comments from others involved in the search for the truth, enabled the Group to today insist that there was “no substantiation whatsoever for allegations that cheating is widespread and systematic in the game, either at international or domestic level”.
Significantly, the Group went out of their way to dismiss rumours the England team had been involved in cheating and made it clear they had no evidence “whatsoever” the side had fabricated blood injuries.
Rob Andrew, the RFU elite rugby director, said: “We looked at every match at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups involving blood injuries and England and they were all genuine.
“We responded to an allegation about the period in which Martin Johnson had been in charge of England and proved there was no substance to that and all matches at Twickenham between 2002 and 2009 were also examined and there was absolutely no evidence of blood fabrication.
“The overwhelming response we have had is that the Harlequins situation is isolated and not systematic in the professional game.
“The feedback from many coaches was that, if it was happening, it was at other clubs, not their own. But they want to ensure that any loopholes are closed.”
The recommendations will now go forward to the management board and full council of the union for action.
