RFU could hit Richards with further punishment
FORMER Harlequins boss Dean Richards, still reeling after being handed a three-year ban for faking an injury to one of his players, has been warned he could face further punishment.
The Rugby Football Union says it will look into claims that emerged during Monday’s hearing that Richards, 46, had fabricated injuries on four previous occasions.
“Given the disclosure in yesterday’s appeal hearing of further incidents of a similar nature in other competitions we are awaiting the full documentation from European chiefs ERC to enable us to review whether there is further action the RFU needs to take against the club, its current or former officials,” said the RFU. “We will issue a further statement when we have properly reviewed the documentation.”
The RFU and world chiefs the IRB confirmed they accept ERC’s request to apply Richards’ suspension universally. The four-month ban handed to Quins winger Tom Williams, whose cut mouth was at the centre of the controversy, and England physio Steph Brennan’s two-year ban will also be enforced worldwide.
Richards and Brennan admitted faking an injury to Williams during Quins’ 6-5 Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster in April, in order to allow them to bring specialist goalkicker Nick Evans back onto the field.