It was common place in Australian Rugby League, and was the main reason why a blood bin was made a full substitution.

If that happened in RL you could probably rule out a large proportion of tires, from incorrect PTB. They'd soon learn though I guess

Funnilly enough I came in your pants as I typed it too.

exactly, i am sure in the days before tactical substitutions, players went off with 'a muscle pull' or 'a back problem', - the forethought of the blood capsules is the damning bit

I just thought I'd spilled brine from the Tuna tin down them.

i thought that too.they had a massive number of blood bins that night.

i read an ex players book once where he admitted the physio nicked them with a razor but i can't remember who the hell it was!!!!!

It sounds a reasonable idea, but it would potentialy lead to an attacking side (with a full front row) able to make as many mistakes, forward passes etc. as they liked and still retain the ball. I'd prefer to see the lineout used as a restart on those occaisions, at least you can contest it.

Saw a clip of the incident on SSN last night, which they said was previously un-released footage. It showed the player in question down on his haunches in backplay, with no other player in sight. He then reaches into his sock, puts his hand up to his face and suddenly there's blood coming out!



Puts a totally different slant on it in my opinion - deliberate, pre-meditated cheating by both the player and the club. I think he can consider himself fortunate to have had his ban reduced.

I agree, i thought he was in a difficult situation before seeing that footage and i think his ban should match the one richards received.

It does demonstrate how little physical contact the average Union winger endures in 75 minutes, that he can keep a blood capsule down his sock without it bursting.

This four month ban for the cheating player, how many games will he miss?



[iTelevision pictures appeared to show Williams winking at the bench as he went off.[/i



Alex Murphy (Wembley 1971) Ba5tard.

Depends, is it effective from the date of the offence, the date the initial ban was imposed or the date his appeal was heard?



If it's the middle one (which I imagine it would be) then he'll be out til around mid-November and the season starts next weekend doesn't it?



Still, it's done a good job of taking all the media attention away from all those coked-up Bath players and the recreational drug problem in the sport.