RFU’s war on touts will shame culprits

THE RFU, who will have another full house at Twickenham on Saturday for England’s Six Nations game against Ireland, plan to name and shame those who breach ticketing conditions.

The strategy is seen as an effective way to crack down on the touts at a time when the RFU have a new £66million hospitality facility to launch and with at least half Twickenham’s Six Nations tickets having to be sold through clubs.

The intention is to list the culprits, no matter who they are. Ironically, England stand-in captain Owen Farrell was unwittingly caught up in such an issue in 2014. He left a £70 ticket for a friend to collect and it was sold on without his knowledge to Viagogo for £440. An RFU investigation absolved Farrell of any blame.

In 2009 James Haskell lost his allocation for three matches after some ended up with touts.

The RFU said: ‘We want tickets to go to fans who want to come to Twickenham and not be traded as commodities.’

Meanwhile, touts who once lined the approach to Cheltenham racecourse have disappeared this year thanks to the joint initiative with the local council to introduce spot fines of £80 for those buying or selling on tickets. PROFESSIONAL

footballers have a long history of behaving badly at Cheltenham. So hardline manager Tony Pulis (right) was taking no risks that his promotion-chasing Middlesbrough side might lose focus at the Festival. Boro, who have won four of their past five games to jump to sixth in the table, were pulled out of a team trip to Cheltenham at the last minute. WELSH rugby union’s coaching double act of Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards are relaxed enough, even during the final week of the Six Nations, to spend a day at Cheltenham yesterday as guests of the Jockey Club. One cannot imagine England coach Eddie Jones even contemplating such a trip with a match on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Manchester United executive vicechairman Ed Woodward, group managing director Richard Arnold and chief financial officer Cliff Baty sought solace after being dumped out of the Champions League by Sevilla with a pint of Guinness in Cheltenham’s Jockey Club suite. RUBY

WALSH, who fractured his right leg at Cheltenham yesterday, the same leg he broke last November at Punchestown, had made a huge effort to be riding at the Festival after the first injury. Insiders say he was riding out through the pain for trainer Willie Mullins last week.