Sale probe leak after brothers’ hotel meeting
SALE players reported their team-mate Tom Arscott to the club’s hierarchy after it emerged he had passed sensitive information to his brother Luke, who plays for Bristol, the day before the West Country side claimed a shock win in Salford. While the RFU are investigating, Sale confirmed that Tom Arscott has been suspended since January 4 after their director of rugby Steve Diamond was alerted to the alleged leak. However, the 29-year-old wing made an appearance at Sale’s training ground yesterday afternoon and sources indicate that it is being regarded as an error of judgment, rather than a malicious action. When Bristol travelled to the North West on New Year’s Eve, they checked into the Marriott Worsley Park Hotel west of Manchester and Tom Arscott visited his brother there. During their conversation, it is claimed that information relating to Sale’s tactics was passed on verbally. Diamond said: ‘It was the squad who picked up on it and came to me. They had heard information had been passed from one group to another. I knew nothing about it and I reacted to senior players coming to me. ‘We investigated it internally and we’re going through a disciplinary process. Under the regulations, we have to report it, so we reported it yesterday and the RFU announced it.’ Diamond added: ‘There is an element of trust. When you sign a professional contract, team information is sacrosanct and that can’t be discussed, certainly with opposition teams. I think there are words to that effect in the players’ contracts. The passing of information is forbidden.’ Neither of the Arscott brothers featured during the New Year’s Day game at the AJ Bell Stadium, as Bristol rallied from a 15-0 deficit to win 24-23. Sale are not suggesting their rivals asked Luke Arscott to obtain information and for their part, Bristol have protested their innocence. Head coach Mark Tainton said: ‘Tom Arscott and Luke Arscott met on New Year’s Eve at the team hotel, which is not unusual. However, nothing was said or passed to the Bristol coaches of any sporting value, nor did it change the strategy in which we approached the game. We are comfortable that Bristol have done nothing wrong. ‘We believe Luke’s done nothing wrong.’