NAME & SHAME
RFU set to throw the book at the bad-boy Barbarians
ThE Barbarians who broke strict Covid protocols have been charged with ‘providing false statements’ after their visits to the pub forced the cancellation of last Sunday’s England game.
Thirteen players, including Scotland winger Sean Maitland and former England captain
Chris Robshaw, have been called before an independent RFU disciplinary panel following their costly nights out in Mayfair.
The RFU promised to name and shame any guilty party with full written judgments — as well as imposing sanctions that could include fines or bans. Sportsmail understands the SRU will wait until after the RFU release their findings before deciding what course of action to take, if any.
In the meantime, Maitland will be considered for Scotland again after apologising to head coach Gregor Townsend for his role in what happened with the Baa-Baas.
Maitland was seen in a video having a drink in a local bar along with his former Scotland team-mate Tim Swinson and a group of other players in the
build-up to the England game, which was against Covid regulations that ordered them to stay in the team hotel. Townsend, speaking before he knew 13 Barbarian players faced a number of charges, said: ‘Sean was very disappointed in himself.
‘He showed lots of contrition and understands the situation was a serious one.
‘Everyone makes mistakes, so not being involved this week (against Wales) is a blow for him and he’ll come back into our squad when he is next available.
‘He has been a good player for us over the last few years. He is close to 50 caps and he had an outstanding game in the European quarter-finals when Saracens beat Leinster — and he was good again in the semi-final loss to Racing 92, so he is still in very good form and we do see him coming back into the squad.’
Townsend also admitted he felt sorry for Barbarians head coach Vern Cotter, his assistant Nathan Hines and Scottish referee Mike Adamson, all of whom were looking forward to being involved in the showpiece fixture against England.
‘I am very disappointed,’ he continued. ‘An international game was called off because a group of players did something they said they wouldn’t do, or signed up not to do.
‘These circumstances were foolish, and the consequences of their action means all those things didn’t happened.
‘A group of England players didn’t get to plan an international game, and as supporters we were denied watching a game of rugby. It’s a lesson for our players based up here and for other people in sport.
‘A thing they think is minor in normal times can have a huge effect during this covid period.’
Eddie Jones, meanwhile, told his England players that they have a duty to drag rugby’s reputation out of the gutter following the fiasco.
Preparations for tomorrow’s Six Nations finale against Italy were rocked by the cancellation of the Twickenham curtain-raiser, with England going into the game without having played since March.
However, they are strong favourites to beat the Italians and could clinch the title, which Jones believes would help restore some pride in the sport.
‘We understand that rugby at the moment is a bit of a laughing stock and we all love the game,’ said Jones.
‘We are lucky enough to play the game at the highest level and we want to make sure we put the game back where it needs to be.
‘We understand both of those responsibilities and it is a weight that we enjoy carrying.
‘We have a great game in rugby and we don’t like to see it be portrayed as something that is not a serious sport, as it has been.
‘No one likes to see a game called off because of a breakdown in the protocols in society at the moment. That’s what happened. It is not good for rugby but we have got an opportunity to turn that around.’
Jones compared the situation to the ball-tampering scandal that brought Australian cricket to its knees in 2018.
‘ History shows that sport changes quickly,’ added the head coach.
‘If you look at the situation with the Australian cricket team and the sandpaper, that time was not a great time for cricket and it was not a great time for Australian cricket.
‘Now people have forgotten that and it is our responsibility to put on a performance so that people don’t remember what happened from a couple of weeks ago.’
Despite missing seven players who started in England’s last Six Nations game against Wales in March, Jones named just one debutant in his starting XV, in Exeter lock Jonny Hill.
Ben Youngs will earn his 100th cap at scrum-half, and Owen Farrell will captain the side from No 10 in his first game back from a five-week ban. Farrell echoed Jones’ sentiment about rebuilding rugby’s image.
‘All I can say is that we as players understand the fortunate position we are in at the moment; to be able to do what we love every day and to be out there together on the field, working hard and getting to play a game at the end of the week,’ he said.
‘We are unbelievably excited about that and the thing we want to show is how much we love playing for England and how much we can’t wait to play this weekend.
‘Hopefully that feeds through to everybody at home.’