Scottish duo among 13 banned for Covid breaches on Baa-baas duty
Scotland winger Sean Ma itland and his former international team-mate Tim Swinson are among 13 players banned for breaching coronavirus protocols while on duty with the Barbarians.
The 13 were sanctioned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Tuesday for their actions ahead of the game against England at Twickenham on October 25, which resulted in the cancellation of the match.
England head coach Eddie Jones said the cancellation of the annual fixture, which cost the RFU about £1 million in lost revenue, had turned the game into a “laughing stock”.
Footage emerged on social media of Baa-Baas players drinking in a Mayfair pub.
It later transpired some of those who broke Covid regulations provided false state - ments to the RFU’S inquiry.
All 13 players accepted the charges of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union or the game, with the sanctions determined by the severity of the breaches.
The players were split into four groups with six – Chris Rob shaw, Alex Le wing ton, F er gusMcf add en, Juan Pablo Socino,Ric hard Wigglesworth and Jackson W ray– banned for four weeks for going out on both October 20 and 21 and then providing a false account about their movements on October 21.
Lewington, Robshaw, Wigglesworth and Wray must also conduct 50 hours of unpaid rugby community work, while that figure is 60 hours for Mcfadden and Socino.
All bar Mcfadden have also been fined two weeks' wages.
Saracens trio Maitland, former Scotland lock Swinson and Calum Clark were sanctioned for going out on October 21 and then giving a false account. They received a fourweek ban, three of which are suspended.
Tom de Glanville, Joel Kpoku and Manu Vunipola were given three -week suspensions, while Simon Kerrod got a twoweek ban. K er rod was also
fined a week’s wages for going out only on October 20. He did not provide a false account.
Prior to joining the Baa-baas camp, the players had signed a code of conduct which said they should avoid public places, with bars and pubs specifically prohibited.
On the afternoon of October, 20, Robshaw, Wray and Wigglesworth left the team hotel via a fire exit to go for takeaway drinks from the Footman pub in Mayfair and drank them
outside. Later they moved into the pub where they were joined by Lewington, Socino, Mcfadden and Kerrod, contrary to Covid regulations then in place in London.
The seven players later returned to the hotel via the fire exit.
On October 21,12 players left the team hotel and went to Hush bar in Mayfair, The Running Horse pub and Sergio’s restaurant.
When initially questioned, they said they had left the hotel to eat out at Mcdonald’s and sat in Berkeley Square drinking takeaways.
The virtual disciplinary proceedings were conducted by an independent panel.
In total, the 13 players have been banned for 85 weeks, with 44 weeks suspended .
They have also been fined a total of 18.5 weeks’ salary and ordered to undertake a total of 630 hours of community service.