Speaking up has cost Baron

AT the same time Francis Baron and Graeme Cattermole have been separated from their ‘privileged member’ status by a score-settling RFU Council vote, the governing body is exhorting everyone involved in the game to ‘Speak Up’.

The RFU say their new policy is, “committed to developing a culture where it is safe and acceptable for everyone to raise concerns about any unacceptable practice, behaviour, wrongdoing or misconduct”.

They say: “Speaking up will enable concerns to be investigated and dealt with for the benefit of all.”

While anti-doping concerns and disclosures are high on the priority list, Baron and Cattermole could be forgiven for thinking there is a double standard at work.