Dean's Gone!

[agoodetiger]

Press release from Quins.......................

http://www.union.quins.co.uk/news/10090.php

[smalldell]

Nothing as yet on Sky or the BBC, but the press release has only been out just over 30 minutes.

It's shocking news, but as Director of Rugby Dean does carry the can.....He has worked wonders at Quins and they owe him big time, but nobody is above reproach.....

I know the incident is bad but I for one hope it is not true....

[bluntiger]

Nothing as yet on Sky or the BBC, but the press release has only been out just over 30 minutes.

It's shocking news, but as Director of Rugby Dean does carry the can.....He has worked wonders at Quins and they owe him big time, but nobody is above reproach.....

I know the incident is bad but I for one hope it is not true....

He did work wonders at Quins but he also took the game to new lows with the fake blood incident.

Rugby has always held the moral high ground as the sport with integrity in the game and in the supporters compared to football.

But rugby had a terrible year last year. It was flirting with disaster over the irratic citing systems (Tincu, Jennings et al) which still continue and the muddled interpretations of uncontested scrums and cheating.

But last year the game took a further dive into immorality with the Bath drugs scandal and Deano's fake blood incident. Win with integrity or lose with integrity.

[Tiger Ant]

Now "Latest news" on BBC.

[Mr. Grumpy]

This is an interesting line in the statement from Quins:

“The Club feels strongly that the severity of the sanction meted out to Tom Williams is unfair and disproportionate and the Club will support him in the event of an appeal.”

Does that mean that having (possibly) hung Williams out to dry, Quins will come clean (if others were involved) and explain in an appeal any other individuals involved in the fake blood decision? An acknowledgement of lying in the original hearing?

To me this new development makes me question the integrity of the club even further. I also like this:

“The level of scrutiny that clubs such as Harlequins now find themselves under means that procedures and processes which may have served us well in the past are no longer adequate.”

Can that be interpreted as the club needs to reassess ways they have cheated in the past as the authorities are more vigilant these days?

[bluntiger]

I always thought that the severity of the punishment meted out to Williams was designed to flush out the real cheat(s). And so it has proved.

Deano is a Leicester legend as a player and a coach but this whole episode is shameful. What was he thinking?

The only shock is that it probably wouldn't have been spotted if it had not been for that wink!

It would be entirely right, should Quins now confess all, that the 12 month ban be reduced on appeal to someing more appropriate - say 12 weeks not backdated.

[Richard]

typical policeman....

[London Tiger]

Bit of a shock to be honest - especially so close to the start of the new season.

Bluntiger - I doubt you can say he took the game to new lows with the blood incident as there is quite a lot of 'evidence' to suggest blood has been 'manufactured' over the years to enable players to have a rest etc (Cockers said it happened with him in the England set-up).

[Richard]

I will be looking to see how it will effect quins on the pitch now...I will expect it to virtually destroy their season b4 it has started....will they be candidates for relegation....

[madoqua]

Richard.

Pray explain the 'typical policeman' comment.

[Rizzo]

typical policeman....

Incorrect and rather offensive, even if meant in jest.

[fleabane]

Latest confirmation

Eurosport - Sat, 08 Aug 11:49:00 2009
Buzz Up!

Dean Richards has resigned as director of rugby at Harlequins.

His departure follows the 12-month suspension handed to winger Tom Williams after he was found guilty of faking a blood injury.

Quins must decide by Saturday afternoon whether to appeal. The London club were also fined £215,000 - half of which was suspended - following the incident in last season's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster.

A statement read: "During the course of this process Dean Richards unreservedly tendered his resignation from his post as director of rugby.

"The board of Harlequins has accepted his resignation."

Williams is understood to have been in contact with the players' union - the Professional Rugby Players' Association - who have provided him with specialist legal advice.

Williams was found to have faked a cut mouth in order to allow substituted fly-half Nick Evans, a drop-goal specialist, to return to the field with five minutes remaining and Quins trailing 6-5. Harlequins managed to engineer a late drop-goal attempt for Evans but the New Zealand fly-half was struggling with a knee injury and pulled it wide.

Richards plus two members of the club's medical team - physiotherapist Steph Brennan and Dr Wendy Chapman - had misconduct charges dismissed by the European Rugby Cup.
Eurosport

[Richard]

typical policeman....

Incorrect and rather offensive, even if meant in jest.

you must of had the same thoughts as me rizzo by posting this....

[Kinoulton]

typical policeman....

Incorrect and rather offensive, even if meant in jest.

you must of had the same thoughts as me rizzo by posting this....

I'm quite good at logic, but this trail has got me utterly banjaxed.

What do you mean, Richard.

[Bill W]

I assumed, Kinny, that he meant like a typical policeman and did the honourable thing in offering his resignation.

Apparantly not!