Solomona case just ‘a moral crusade’

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond has accused the RFU of being on a moral crusade to get wing Denny Solomona banned over an alleged homophobic slur.

Diamond has decided not to appeal against the fourweek suspension, despite being convinced of Solomona’s innocence and the independent panel describing its own sanction as an “inherent contradiction”.

The two-cap England wing was last week found guilty of calling Worcester’s Jamie Shillcock a “f-----faggot” during Sale’s 58-25 victory against Worcester on March 24.

Solomona claims that he called the Worcester fly-half a “f---wit” and the panel found no corroborating evidence, whether through witnesses or audio recordings, to support Shillcock’s allegation. The panel even dismissed the RFU’S claim that video footage provided compelling proof of Shillcock’s version of events.

However, it still found Solomona guilty on the balance of probabilities, which Diamond believes, sets a dangerous precedent for other players.

He also condemned the governing body for bringing the disrepute case after Shillcock had declared he did not want to take the matter further. “I think the RFU’S moral compass is so high at the moment,” Diamond told The Daily Telegraph. “Absolutely, they wanted to make an example out of Denny.

“As was stated in the judgment, there was no evidence apart from the allegation from Jamie Shillcock. There was nothing to back that up. The RFU accused Denny of mouthing it and said it was clearly seen on their video, which the panel rejected.

“The RFU wanted 12 weeks because they alleged what he said three times, so they wanted three four-week bans and we got it down to four weeks. We were happy with that, but we were not happy with the result.

“Every time you go to a disciplinary hearing, what is thrown down your throat is the values of the game. The values of the game are why people play the game at every level, which are what goes on the field, stays on the field. You shake hands. Clap each other off and it all ends. That’s gone. The RFU have taken that away from us.”

Sixth-place Sale would rise into the top four should they beat Newcastle Falcons on Friday night and Solomona would be available again in time for the play-offs. In the meantime, the 24-year-old is adhering to a training plan set by England ahead of the summer tour to South Africa.

Solomona, meanwhile, has engaged in community coaching at Manchester Village Spartans, a gay team, whose members Diamond claims, offered to provide character statements.

However, Diamond has decided not to press the matter further. “To jump through hurdles and the costs of an appeal won’t do Denny, the club or the RFU any good,” Diamond said.

Diamond also rejected tabloid reports that the New Zealand-born star’s visa status was in jeopardy after a supposed “split” with his British wife, Jess Impiazzi.

“It’s made up,” Diamond said. “Absolute nonsense. All the correct channels of pertaining visas have been done. Jess and Denny are in a marriage and she was in here this morning.”

Israel Folau yesterday escaped sanction from Rugby Australia for a social media post in which he wrote that gay people would be condemned to “hell” if they failed to “repent”.

Folau has since deleted the post, but RA chief executive Raelene Castle declined to punish the star full-back on the basis of his evangelical Christian beliefs.