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As a Quins STH, I have been dismayed by the sorry saga of “Blood Gate.” The outcome has been the resignation of Dean Richards, the DOR, and his expulsion from the game for three years.
There was also a hefty fine for the Quins, a reduced ban for the player involved, Tom Williams, and a two year ban for the physio.
The incident may never have been seen, but the match was being televised and it raises more questions than it answers.
• Quins have admitted that they have been involved in four previous incidents of faking blood injuries.
• In his recent book, Dallagio “describes how Bath used the same scam with the aid of tomato ketchup for a blood substitution to ensure kicker Jon Callard got on the field in a league match to kick conversion points against Dallaglio’s Wasps in 1997. Dallaglio described the incident as ‘fair play to Bath, they bent the rules. But hey-ho, you do what you have to do to win’.”
• Former England hooker Richard Cockerill revealed that during one match stitches in an existing cut on his finger were opened up by the England back-room staff. He claimed the idea was “to take me off for ‘blood’ just in case it was necessary to bring me back on.”
• In 2001, Dick Best, the former England coach, said at the time that the use of blood capsules was widespread in the Premiership. “If it’s put on someone’s scalp the referee is hardly likely to go scrabbling about in their hair to see whether it’s a genuine cut,” he said. At the time, he was supported by Nigel Melville, the then coach of Wasps, now CEO of America Rugby.
• In 2008, there were mutterings of sharp practice after Wasps went to uncontested scrums during their Premiership Grand Final victory over Leicester in front of a full house at Twickenham
• In last season’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Cardiff Blues, Leicester were permitted to bring the goal-kicking scrum-half Julien Dupuy back on to the field for the bloodied Dan Hipkiss just in time for the sport’s first penalty shoot-out, which Leicester duly won.
• Smit, in the series against The Lions, leaping up and down on the touchline to get back on the pitch having been substituted to shore up the Boks defence as the Lions fought back and were on the point of winning, Somehow a Boks prop was conveniently injured.
The real question is, is it a major problem for rugby? Should the IRB take a look at the question of substitutions? Should there be an independent assessment of injuries to allow substitutions?
I don’t think it’s just an English disease. Other than Smit, I suspect there have been more incidences throughout the world.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.