Lam welcomes inquiry into controversial end to Leicester game
PAT Lam has confirmed there will be an RFU inquiry into the controversial closing moments of Bristol Bears’ 26-23 victory over Leicester Tigers.
The heated contest at Welford Road saw the two directors of rugby, Bristol’s Pat Lam and Leicester’s Steve Borthwick, involved in an argument in the technical box in front of the dugouts in the 83rd minute over whether tighthead prop John Afoa should retake the field following a yellow card for prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro from referee Ian Tempest, awarded for repeated team infringements at the scrum with Leicester looking to hammer home their advantage at the set-piece with the visitors leading by just three points.
Borthwick accused Lam of “lying” as he said Afoa was injured, only for the prop to retake the field moments later and then go on to play a pivotal role in the game-winning moment which saw Andy Uren steal the ball out the back of the five-metre scrum and end the game.
In reality, Afoa, who had been marked as a tactical replacement when he came off at half-time, wasn’t injured, but Lam meant he didn’t want him to retake the field after an hour sitting on the sidelines to risk the former All Black sustaining an injury.
Lam insists his only concern was for the health and safety of his 37-year-old veteran player who had been rushed back into action at less than 100 per cent following a failed fitness test by England international Kyle Sinckler on the morning of the game.
❝ Once we go through this process the full picture will be seen and then people can make a judgment
Discussing the inquiry, Lam said: “I am absolutely over the moon that I received an email that there will be an inquiry going on, which is fantastic because it enables us to get the true context and the full story.
“When you have an incident on the field, back in our day that was a big scrap or a big brawl, questions were asked why is this happening?
“The beauty of our great game is it governed by the rules of rugby and then we have the regulations for the competition and we are able to refer back to them and get a full account.
“At the moment that process is happening and I can’t talk about it further at this time but I am really, really pleased the full context will come out because what people see is part of a bigger picture.
“Once we go through this process the full picture will be seen and then people can make a judgment.”
Neither Leicester nor the Bears have had any players cited from the game, despite the match ending in a fracas after the final whistle which was sparked by Leicester’s Richard Wigglesworth taking down Afoa who celebrated his success at the game-winning scrum in front of the scrum-half, bumping the veteran back. That sparked a large-scale pushing match with former Bristol man Ellis Genge and Bears replacement Nathan Hughes at the thick of the action before Bears lock Joe Joyce calmed things down.